Bound By Light: Second Chances
by TruthOutrunsTheFiction
Summary: Training begins for all as the newest threat against Xehanort hangs over the heads of the Keyblade heroes. But things can get a bit complicated when you have great magic & no supervision. Rachel & Riku have a big secret to keep in this next installment of Bound By Light, Act 5.
1. Forward

Hey guys! This adventure takes a bit of a different twist than the ones preceding it, so bear with me. This idea came…to be honest I can't even remember what made me think of this. This takes place after Dream Drop Distance. Obviously there will be no KH3 in any way, shape or form. I know little about its plot and I have no doubt it will be some time before I actually get to play it once released. So I'm writing my own script here. There will be a final act in which I will have my own version of how the team defeats Xehanort. But that will take some time to get to.

This will be written side by side with some of the Shenanigans (more on them in their own chapter) but otherwise I think this story can stand on its own pretty well. Mostly, I just felt like doing it so I did. I hope to expand on some characters and concepts of my own in this story.

Um, I guess that's about it. Hope you like this next installment of Bound By Light.


	2. Begin Anew

It had been several weeks since Sora and Riku had taken the Mark of Mastery, faced Xehanort and learned of his plan to forge the _X_ -blade. All had been quiet. And that worried everyone. He knew now who all seven princesses of heart were and where they could be found. The princesses, of course had been alerted to the danger. Not like much could be done if Xehanort decided to take them. In that time, Riku had begun proper training for a new Master, as had Sora so that he might pass the next time. Kairi and Lea had also been getting proper instruction as Keyblade wielders.

Rachel and Bryan had been brought on board completely to prepare for the upcoming challenge. They'd been Masters for not quite two years but they had a trick or two they could share. Bryan was the superior swordsman and Rachel had made great strides on her way to becoming an official sorceress.

Bryan spent a lot of time in the training grounds with Sora, Kairi and Lea. Kairi knew some about combat from the better part of her life watching Sora and Riku settle disputes and such with a friendly fight. The challenge, Bryan discovered as he coached them was she hardly had a mean bone in her body. So he tried to break her of the mentality that, although for an important purpose, this, for the moment at least was just a friendly practice session. In practice people don't really get hurt. Bryan explained to her and Lea how he and Rachel had been trained not to be afraid to hit a friend so they would be no problem hitting an enemy even harder. Kairi insisted she had what it takes to fight well. She had fought Heartless in The World That Never Was so she did know a thing or two. Bryan countered that he too had fought Shadows before he came to study under Master Yen Sid but that didn't change how he was taught.

To prove his point, Bryan stood with his feet apart and arms wide open in front of her and told Kairi to strike him. Anywhere and anyway. A kidney shot, a rabbit punch, even a half or full-Nelson if she could manage it but the hit would have to be real. Like expected, she couldn't do it. Perhaps in part it was an awkward request. He was a friend and she'd never hurt anything before. Lea on the other hand had no such problem. When Kairi couldn't pull through, Lea walked over and socked Bryan right in the eye.

"Did I ask for that!"

"Stood to reason you'd put me through the same test." Lea said casually.

"Well I wasn't. Between what you've told us about yourself, both as a competitive kid and your days as Axel I figured you'd have no problem hitting things." Bryan called Cross-Cut and used Curaga on the side of his face. "That being said you've got a heck of a right hook."

But that didn't leave Lea without his share of problems. Battling with a Keyblade required an entirely different style than what he was used to. He had confidence he could hold his own against Bryan just fine…but ended up getting his tail kicked. No contest. Bryan was by far the better. Lea however, welcomed the challenge of one day throwing down the gauntlet and making Bryan pick it up.

The situation in which the ever-growing circle of friends found themselves in was certainly an interesting and unique one. Every one of them had a unique style of battle. Adjustments would have to be made for each of them depending on who they practiced with, both learning how their friends fought and how to make their own style work to their advantage. The more they knew about how to adjust to different opponents was more critical than ever. Rachel and Bryan were especially tickled with this chance to grow. They had become very set in their ways of fighting with each other over the years. Each of them knew the others style perfectly and how to fight against or in perfect harmony with. In later practices they would partner up and spar in pairs. Everyone would come to dread when the masters were set up as a team against everyone else. But the opportunity to improve was there for everyone. For example, Riku was familiar with Sora's combat style so he had an idea of how to effectively attack and defend. Against Rachel or Bryan he'd have to do his best while feeling out their way of fighting. But the set up was perfect for rapid and dramatic improvements. From the time the training began to the weeks that followed, Kairi especially was surprising everyone.

But _between_ the time of Sora and Riku taking the Mark of Mastery exam, Sora eventually _passing_ the Mark of Mastery test and the beginning of the next great challenge, another adventure (of sorts) took place.

On Master Yen Sid's instructions, Rachel was to study magic with greater vigor than ever before. Fighting pure darkness with the power of light would be foolish. Darkness and light were two sides of the same coin and forcing the two to clash with such power, as would be needed to fight Xehanort, could only bring destruction. Especially if their combined light still wasn't enough to at least match the darkness Xehanort had controlled and built up for longer than any of them had even been alive. Not only that, the chaotic clash of Darkness and Light was exactly what Xehanort was after. So it was agreed to excel at other offensive strengths for the upcoming battle. Lea, understandably could still make Fire answer his every whim without question. It also came to little surprise to find out his Ice spells were far below average. Bryan was the unchallenged Master of Music. Not an element in the traditional sense but there was no questioning its power.

So when she wasn't sparring with her friends, Rachel spent most of her time trying new spells and improving her magic. Master Yen Sid even made her start taking potion making more seriously. With an inevitable storm in the unforeseen future she would need all the skills she could acquire. Besides, he couldn't one day pronounce her a true sorceress if she wasn't well-versed in all areas of magic.

But this stage of her training was primarily a solo mission. Everyone who ever seriously practiced sorcery went through similar regiments, after reaching a certain level of skill, where they were required to isolate themselves and learn and grow without the guidance of a master. For this, Master Yen Sid showed her a secret place that had been used by aspiring sorcerers for centuries. Down one of the Towers secret hallways, the old sorcerer used a portal door that lead to the magical haven. It looked similar to a castle and made of pale stone. And it was hers to use until she had shown enough improvement for Master Yen Sid to let her move on.

She wasn't entirely thrilled with the thought of going through most of the training alone. Like most people Rachel enjoyed her alone time, but this span of 'alone time' could easily last several weeks or even months minimum depending on how fast and how well she learned. Not only learned, but memorized. If you had to brew a quick potion in the middle of nowhere, you can't exactly go home and get your books and travel kit. She was sure she would come to count the days until she could take a break and rejoin her friends back at the Tower, whether it be for further training with the others or just relaxing. There was no traditional rule however that said she couldn't bring her cat or her unicorn so Tatania and Fantasia came along too. Master Yen Sid suggested if she did that to put a tracking spell on Tatania. No doubt she'd do a fair bit of exploring and there were all sorts of secret and hidden places in the castle.

So everyone had their assignments. Lea and Kairi would receive proper training as Keyblade warriors. Sora worked to improve so he could retake and pass the mark of Mastery. Bryan had tasks of his own on top of being everyone's key sparring partner. To Bryan, Rachel training her magic away from everyone was very strange. He joked and poked fun at her when he learned she'd be leaving for a while the way a brother might. But it didn't take long before he started to notice how weird it was not to have her around. For the better part of their lives they'd been joined at the hip. Even moreso once they began training as a battle team. Together was just the way they did things. Even the days they couldn't stand each other, spat or found the others very presence to be annoying they were never apart for long regardless of what else was going on. It felt kinda like losing a limb. You immediately notice when what you take for granted is gone.

But that was nothing compared to what Riku was feeling. Possibly facing several months before he could see his girlfriend regularly? No way that was going to work. At first he thought knowing she was nearby would be enough. But it was only after one week he cracked. He needed to see her smile more than on occasional weekends. He didn't want their relationship to feel like a custody arrangement. The world often felt bland and empty after going a time without hearing her laugh. And after the whole ordeal with Xehanort (all versions of him) Riku knew he'd need her light more than ever. Throughout his journey through the sleeping worlds, Riku felt he had conquered a large part of the darkness within him. His heart had grown stronger in that time. He credited part of it to what he'd learned from her. But even with that great triumph, Riku knew he would need her unique heart to climb the mountains that lay ahead. Xehanort had to know those who opposed him were gathering their forces to defeat him. No doubt he would use any and every dirty conniving trick to make them crumble. Especially once he found out he and Rachel were together if he didn't somehow know already.

Riku had already read through the journal Rachel had lent him on her view of darkness several times. But it wasn't the same as hearing her unique perspective first hand. So he decided to talk to Master Yen Sid about visiting her. Riku knew the sorcerer wouldn't allow it just because he'd missed her, so he'd have to have a good reason. But not only would it have to be a good reason, it would have to be an honest one. So he thought about it all day before he pled his case to Master Yen Sid. For some reason Riku felt like a kid asking a scary father permission to date his daughter. He credited that to the dread of the answer being no. But he felt he presented himself pretty well.

Although Riku had lain to rest a lot of the darkness in his heart, he knew the shadow of Ansem's handprint still lingered. It was buried deep beneath the strength of his own heart. Light, love and the desire to protect those that meant the most to him. Still, Xehanort was sure to know about it and would no doubt try and exploit it if it so suited him. With Rachel, Riku felt his light was strongest and could grow its best. Also, perhaps he could learn magic from her. Part of the reason she was taking this challenge now was to have a strong magical offense, why not him too? Wouldn't have to worry about the clash of Light and Dark if he wasn't using either. That premise was Master Yen Sid's idea after all. Also, he never said this part of Rachel's training was done alone to test how the _individual_ handled solitude, just that she was _out_ from under direct guidance. Also, Rachel was very social. Company VS solitude might be more beneficial for her studies.

Master Yen Sid had listened quietly and, much to Riku's relief and delight he agreed. It was conditional though. This wasn't a social call and shouldn't be treated like one. Becoming a sorceress was something she'd been training hard for. If the visits proved to be a distraction from her studies they would have to end. It couldn't interfere with his training either. As a Master he was entitled to new skills and knowledge and couldn't let that slip. Also, as part of the agreement, Riku would have to show improvements with various magicks as well as aiding Rachel with hers whenever needed. He'd be stretching himself a bit thin but Yen Sid was willing to give him the chance and Riku was set to make it work.


	3. Hatching A Plan

Rachel was thrilled to have a frequent visitor. But after Riku got the grand tour of the training castle and got the low-down on all Rachel was expected to do, he wondered how she could have ever found the time to miss anybody.

Everything about the training castle was huge. The hallways could have fit a train. The library was bigger than the one at the Tower (if you can believe that). The courtyards were huge. Each greenhouse was bigger than Rachel and Bryan's bedroom. Bathtubs were the size of small swimming pools. The potion room had cauldrons ranging in size from a small pumpkin to big enough to fit three grown men. There was even an atrium with a stupidly high ceiling, tall stained glass windows and a tall tree growing in the center of the room. An elegant treehouse had been built within its branches.

"How are we ever going to get you out of here?" Riku couldn't help but ask in awed disbelief.

"Probably kicking and screaming."

The dining hall functioned just like the kitchen at the Tower. As they had lunch, Riku told her about Master Yen Sid's conditions to his frequent visits. Rachel was of course more than willing to share tricks of more advanced magic. Sparring together to keep themselves in prime battle condition was of course no problem. But Riku didn't like Rachel's smirk when he told her the part about basically being her guinea pig if needed. And he couldn't tell if she was kidding or not.

And that was the way it went. The Masters spent as much time together as they could. It became routine for them to spar in the early evening then spend the rest of the evening relaxing and talking. Many of the first spells Rachel had learned from Merlin were the first she taught to Riku, to which he demonstrated to Master Yen Sid his progress by turning Sora into a squirrel. Lea thought it was the funniest thing ever…until squirrel-Sora shimmied up his sleeve.

Riku, as one might expect, had mixed feelings about the whole human test subject part of the deal. It was awesome to see her succeed and be the one to help her reach her dream. Still, it was good to think most of the spells that had disastrous first tries only lasted a few hours at most before the effects wore off if she couldn't find or perform the reverse spell. If not, he would have been far less ok about being turned into a hamster or getting cat ears. Also a relief was how maturely she handled some of the of the more…less dignified spell or potion effects she inflicted upon him. Most of the time. Other times she'd be apologizing for messing up through harsh gasping since she was laughing so hard she could hardly breathe. Such was a time when she messed up the vowel order to a word to a spell. Turns out a single word can change the effect of a spell entirely. Rachel wasn't even using a spell on him when Riku's startled yelp made her jump. It was an honest accident but she thought the tail was highly amusing. He didn't but that didn't stop her from giggling.

But between the sparring, magic and waiting for spells to wear off, Riku's favorite part of their time together was when they talked. She was so much fun to listen to. She shared so many stories, songs and even made factoids he didn't have much interest in sound cool. Kairi started teasing him about the pointless fun facts he was getting. Like a pesty little sister she'd ask what he'd learned that day when he came back to the tower. He'd relay something like how a seahorse has to eat constantly because it doesn't have a stomach or that the human appendix does in fact have a function.

In turn, Riku poured out his heart to her in ways he'd never done for anyone else. He told her every detail of his encounters with Xehanort and all his faces in the dream worlds. He shared everything from his first adventure when his home lost its heart. Being willing to embrace the darkness if it meant leaving the island. Meeting all the wrong people and making all the wrong choices. Looking back, the things he'd been willing to do terrified him. And he told her about how the darkness pursued him like a hunting dog in Castle Oblivion. Regardless of who said it, Ansem, the Organization, Nobodies or even Vexen's replica, they all seemed to think his powers and his heart were best suited to serve the Darkness and he was a fool and a coward for not embracing it.

Rachel had been awesome the times he shared all the things that made his heart heavy. She never did anything while he talked so not to get distracted by anything. But the best part, he thought was she never said anything. She never said a word until he indicated he was done talking. Then began the torrent of things he'd wished someone had told him at the time. But, then again, maybe this was the best way. Enduring the pain changed him into a stronger person. Her words made the memories hurt less. The song she had song to him on the Destiny Islands was becoming less true. Riku would never look back fondly on the person he was, but little by little he wasn't hating himself for it.

Rachel found the encounter with Replica Riku of particular interest. She commented on how she would probably be pretty freaked out if faced with a cocky doppelganger trying to kill her. Riku had of course shared every detail he could remember, what it said, done and how it met its end and its final words. Then Rachel said something that took Riku by surprise.

"I feel bad for it."

"Excuse me?"

"The replica, I feel bad for it. Such a short, tortured life. No sense of identity or real purpose. No memories of its own to look back fondly on in the quiet moments. Willing to kill just so it could feel something."

Riku didn't respond. He too had given thought to the replica's tortured existence, but Rachel was the one with the gift to put things in a new light. He thought back to what the replica said before it fought him for the last time. Nothing it had done had given it the sense of identity it longed for. It looked like someone else. It sounded like someone else. Its' skills were based on someone else. It had nothing to define it as an individual. It had no dreams or desires, things it wanted to do or places it wanted to see. Nobody cared about it. Vexen certainly didn't. Even if Nobodies could feel for another being, they had been too busy carrying out their plans and pushing their pawns to give it a sense of purpose or belonging.

It died alone and friendless, wondering what would happen to it heart. And Riku was partly to blame. The thought bothered him for several days. How hard it had tried to be its own self and all the things that had happened to it. Naminé told Riku all about what had happened at the castle and how the Organization wanted to use the replica to direct and test Sora. The last time they fought was probably the only time it had left Castle Oblivion. Vexen or others in the Organization had their thumb on its destiny and free will the second it existed. The more he thought about it, he too, pitied its existence. Maybe if he had been able to be a bit more like Sora at the time, offering a hand in friendship rather than conflict. Sora wouldn't have cared that it was just a replica, a puppet, living doll…whatever it was; he'd've done his thing and accepted it.

The only question he couldn't answer was WHY he was dedicating so much time for thinking about it. And of course, he brought it up with Rachel.

"Guilt."

"You really think that's it?"

"Part of it at least. Looking back with wiser eyes you understand things differently and you wish you could have done something that would make the outcome of those events different, right? Maybe because it looked like you stirred feelings that you owed it something."

"Like giving it a chance to talk to you for a day. I think you missed your true calling as a therapist." Riku thought about what he just said. "I know I've said it about myself before, but I can imagine if the replica had someone like you and learn from, things would have turned out different."

They sat quietly for a while. A question nagged at Riku. But it felt so childish and impossible, he hesitated to voice it aloud for several minutes.

"Is it possible somehow?"

Rachel didn't answer but Riku could tell she knew what he was talking about. Riku knew it had to be impossible. It was probably just the suggested guilt talking. Communicating with the dead most likely meant dealing with dark magic and going through time was just as unlikely. Yes, at the time the replica existed there was a version of himself already there, but he didn't feel like taking a leaf out of Xehanort's book of tricks for any reason.

"I'll look into it." Was all Rachel said.

* * *

Several days passed with no additional talk on the topic. Rachel kept herself busy with reading and spellcasting. Riku wondered a time or three if she'd forgotten. Until she called him over one day, dropping a HUGE book on the table.

"You wanted to help the replica, right? Give it a chance to be itself and no ones puppet, right?"

"Yeah, but I've been thinking about it. Changing things would mean going back in time and that's impossible."

"I wouldn't bet on that horse just yet. The spell I found is called a Time Window. As far as I can understand, it doesn't look impossibly hard. But that's not the problem."

"What _is_ the problem?"

"Two problems actually. One, depending on what you plan to do could cause anomalies, paradoxes or other unpleasant consequences to meddling with time. Two, Master Yen Sid will probably kill us."

She opened the mammoth book to a place she'd bookmarked.

"How exactly did you find that?" It was quite a coincidence she found what she was looking for so quickly. Considering how big the library was and the book itself could have fit an entire encyclopedia set.

"Accident. I started reading through this one for about a week and it-."

"That I believe."

"-was just dumb luck the spell was in here."

"And you think you can do it?"

"I could read it so that means I have the power to pull it off so long as I do it right."

"What's that got to do with it?"

"The library is divided into spells and knowledge for different levels of learners. I can't even get into any bit of the East wing yet. It'll unlock when I have the power to perform that magic. This book's got all kinds of stuff in it. If the spell is too advanced for me, it will read as gibberish."

"Isn't it a little odd any unsupervised apprentice can have access to a spell that can alter time?"

"I've wondered that myself."

"What exactly does a time window do?"

"Well," She skimmed over the book. "It is restricted only to traveling to the past. It needs at _least_ two people to operate it. But it is basically like a window or a door, you open a window into the past. By reading this, it sounds possible to take or leave something or someone, including yourself. Only then you risk altering the future timeline depending on who or what is added or subtracted. Otherwise," She looked over the pages again. "Some of the regents would take a bit to prepare but everything else I've seen in the storage cupboards or things I can collect. Except for one thing."

"Somehow I knew there'd be a snag."

"It says the key regent to making the whole thing work is Time."

"Please tell me you mean _t-h-y-m-e_."

"If only it were that easy. It says that in order to break a hole through time, you need to use the time of something else. ' _Human use is strictly forbidden'_."

"What exactly does that even mean? How do you take the time from something?"

"That's another thing I've got to figure out. I'll be thinking on it as I prepare the other regents. What exactly is your plan once we do this?"

"To bring it back through."

"That's a slippery slope, you realize that right?"

"I know. But part of me still feels that I owe it. That with the means to give it a chance it never would've had, I at least need to try."

"I understand. But you have to think hard about when to pull it through."

"Assuming I can make it come back with me."

"That too. I think this is very noble and mature of you, but you have to keep in mind how the future might change if the replica isn't in the past."

* * *

***Don't question or try to guess. Let yourself be surprised.


	4. The Spell is Ready

Riku remained at the Tower for several days while Rachel prepared the spell. Sparring with his friends and learning more about being a Keyblade Master couldn't distract him completely from what he and Rachel were planning on doing and the consequences if anything went wrong.

Despite his feelings about what they were about to do, no one asked him if anything was wrong. Thankfully, he was good at keeping it to himself. Then Rachel came to the Tower to show Master Yen Sid the progress she'd made on a potion that had previously been a disaster. When she did, she gave Riku 'the nod'. He nodded in return.

The spell was ready


	5. Starting The Spell

Early the next morning Riku went to the training castle. He hoped against hope today wouldn't be the day Master Yen Sid or any of the others decided to pay a surprise visit. Riku hadn't slept much that night. Hopefully that wouldn't effect whatever his role in the spell would be.

Then came the challenge of finding Rachel. She wasn't in the courtyards, main hall, great hall or library. Finally he found her in the atrium. Much of the floor had been cleared. On the polished marble tiles she had painted a wide series of interconnecting circles, each filled with different designs and symbols. The paint was a pale lilac color that shimmered like mother of pearl. There were three main circles. One had a few pouches and books by it. The second was empty. The third Rachel was spreading a layer of soil with a small hoe.

"What took you?"

"Had to find you first. How is that a part of a time spell?" Riku asked, referring to the dirt.

"I figured out what we could take Time from!"

"Dirt?"

"No. These," She put down the hoe and picked up the small pouch. From it she pulled a handful of seeds and scattered them on the soil. "It takes time for plants to grow. The spell can absorb the time it takes for the seed to grow, flower, wither and die." She emptied the rest of the pouch.

"That's genius. But will it work?"

"Don't see why not. A lot of these plants have a lifespan of several weeks. I think there may be a few shrubs and bushes in there too. The only problem, I can think of, will be how fast the spell drains them. You'll be over there." She pointed to the empty circle. "And here," She handed him a tiny dagger. It was barely bigger than a pocketknife.

"Do I want to know what this is for?"

"It just needs a blood seal. Just let a drop fall on the centermost circle" Rachel was already at her circle.

"So what exactly is it you need me to do?"

"Once the spell is activated, I'll be channeling my magic to make the window appear. You will have to physically open it. And I don't imagine pulling open a window through time will be easy. From there, the spell lasts until you can't keep it open anymore or the time from the plants is diminished. If the plants run out before you're finished, you'll have to shut it immediately."

"Why do I get the feeling something bad happens if I don't."

"All magic needs a connection to energy of some kind. If the plants run out, the magic will look for another lifeline to continue the spell."

"Meaning us."

"Most likely."

"Fantastic."

Rachel looked over the big book again to run her triple checks for the spell. Riku would see her fingers shake when she flipped the page.

"How do you feel about this?" She asked, standing up.

Riku could see she was trying to put on a brave face; not trying to think of all the ways this could go wrong if she hadn't prepared properly.

"Terrified."

"Are you sure you want to go through with it?"

"I do. I just can't shake the feeling that it's important that I try. And…every time I feel like explaining why I feel that I should do it, the words that make sense in my head up to that point disappear."

"I know exactly what that feels like," She took out an identical dagger from her pocket. "Ready?"

"Not really."

"Me neither."

Riku cut the end of his finger and watched a blood drop fall to the floor. The second the tiny drop touched the circle, a red-violet light pulsed through the symbols, changing them uniquely to him. The same happened for Rachel. They each stood in their respective circles. Riku could see Rachel going through all the steps again in her mind.

"Ok, you'll need to be focused on when this thing will open up. Open it and get the replica to come through if you can as _fast_ as you can."

"I know." Riku took a long, calming breath. He was grateful and appreciative Rachel was doing all this for him, and that she trusted him enough not to ask or question when he was thinking of opening. "Just do it."


	6. The Time Window

"That's right! I'm a phony! A fake! The way I look, the way I feel, everything I remember. And even…this newfound power! I thought by finding some new strength I could finally be someone, someone who's not at all you! But...nothing changes. I'm still just empty! Everything about me is borrowed. As long as you're around I'll never be more than a shadow!"

Two boys faced off before the towering gates to the abandoned mansion of Twilight Down. Riku had been told he could find girl called Naminé there and she could take him to Sora. But Vexen's replica had stepped in once again. He hadn't seen it in a while and had been ok with that.

But this time had been different. It wasn't gloating about its dark powers, calling Riku a coward or sounding like the better Riku because it was unafraid to wield the Darkness. It sounded desperate, frustrated and lost. It knew nothing for certain anymore and was willing to fill the void at any cost. Riku had no idea what had happened to it in the time since they'd last met even though it was clear it wasn't pretty. He didn't like that someone could feel that way, but he could also see the replica was resolved to fight. There would be no further talking.

And so they fought. Identical weapons clashed hard again and again. Suddenly both fighters were startled out of their battle of skill, magic and darkness. A bright light crackled by the nearby trees. Red-violet lightning sparked horizontally in midair.

"What are you doing!" The replica snapped at Riku.

" _Me_?! You mean that isn't you?"

An orb of light appeared as the focal point for the lightning, then like a laser etching, spread up and down vertically. The two boys kept a wary eye on the light and each other, each convinced the other was the cause. Then the line of light slowly got wider

* * *

Riku struggled to open the Time Window. It was like pushing a door open that somebody put a dresser on the other side of. Still it was working. He could feel it move. He pulled hard. He'd have to be quick. Ironic that when performing a time spell, time was not on their side.

The window opened. He could see through it now. The trees, the clearing. The stone wall and tall gate. He was _where_ he was supposed to be. And the bizarre scene before him confirmed he was _**when**_ he was supposed to be. The replica and his younger self were staring at him, tense, bewildered and maybe even afraid. Even through the mix of expressions, Riku almost laughed at his younger selves _oh-great-not-again_ look.

Oh man this hurt! Riku had his arms out spread, holding the window open. The resistance made his muscles burn.

"Is this supposed to be some kind of trick!" The replica shouted at Riku's younger self.

"Do you really think _I_ could do _that_?" The younger Riku snapped back.

"What's going on!" The replica demanded.

Riku looked between them. Yep, there was no way this wasn't weird.

"Ok, guys. This is where it gets complicated."

* * *

So far so good. The spell activated fine. The air was so thick with magic Rachel could practically taste it. A vertical line of light appeared before Riku. He pulled it open like one would try to open an elevator door. Rachel trusted him but still hoped he'd thought long, hard and carefully about when to go. From what Riku had told her about the replica and the events it was a part of, she couldn't think of how removing it from its timeline could set off a domino chain of devastating consequences. Still, just because she couldn't think of a reason didn't mean one didn't exist.

From her angle she couldn't see much through the open window but greenery. But a good view was the least of her concerns. Were her ears supposed to be ringing? She couldn't even hear more than a few words a sentence when she could tell Riku was talking. Darn it. She was kinda hoping to hear what Riku was going to say. Hopefully he chose his words wisely. They might only have a few minutes to keep the window open.

Rachel glanced to the patch of soil in the third circle. It looked like a tiny jungle. Grasses could visibly be seen getting taller. Slowly but surely, flower stems rose up, spread leaves, shed leaves and grew new ones. Thankfully not all the plants sprouted simultaneously. No doubt the bigger and more long-lived plants would begin to grow the second the others began to die. Still, not much of a comfort considering the speed at which they were growing.

And that high-pitched whine was getting worse. What the heck was making that happen anyway? Was it _supposed_ to happen? A side effect of the spell? A sudden wave of light-headedness suggested it wasn't. She didn't know what was happening and it scared her. Rachel's hands shook but she wasn't sure if it was because of nerves or fatigue caused by a difficult spell. Her mind raced, going through all the steps she'd read through and triple checked multiple times. She looked at the plants. The grass had turned to dust and only dry twigs of the flower stems remained. The fresh branches of a lilac bush were snaking their way upward. Two giant hosta plants dropped their flowers and began to shrivel.

It was happening faster.

The longer the window was open the more time it required. And a plant never had much time. Why couldn't she have brought a maple seed or an acorn!? An oak tree could live for over a century. That really would have given them more time (would have left for an interesting mess to clean up later in order to get a dead oak tree out of the room but where there's a will they'd've made it work).

Panic began to flutter in her stomach. Rachel looked to Riku. Even from a distance, trickling beads of sweat were visible. Wet patches were forming on the back of his shirt. Cords of tension started to appear on his arms. Not good. How long would he be able to hold it open? She couldn't get a status update from him on account of the terrible ringing in her ears. The ringing was beginning to hurt like the pain of a bad migraine.

 _Just breathe. Stay calm. Don't panic._

But she had good reason.

If her strength gave out and the spell ended prematurely, there could be devastating consequences. If the plants grew any faster, the spell would start draining them as a source of power. Riku just letting the window snap shut seemed the only path that didn't end badly.

Then she noticed the plants. The second the sunflowers opened their bright faces, their petals turned brown, shriveled and their seeds dried up and fell. Without having time to get fertilized the dropped seeds offered no hope of growing to offer more time. The tall lilac bush was in mature bloom but was fading fast.

"Riku!"

And they were running out of time.

* * *

***Wow, this has gotten some of you guys seriously freaked out. Gotta say I'm surprised. Not saying as an author I'm glad I can invoke that kind of reaction. Geesh guys, don't you trust me? I have given this plenty of thought. If you disagree or find discrepancies, kindly shush and just sit back and enjoy the story. Like I said in the forward, I don't even know where this idea came from it wouldn't stop bugging me so I wrote it. So, relax, breeeeeathe and enjoy the ride. Meditate and hum a lot if you gotta. And let us all remember reviews are meant for story content not author comments. See ya next chapter! -Truth


	7. Time Is Running Out

Oh this hurt! This really, _really_ hurt! White hot veins of fire were shooting down his arms. Time didn't like being pulled apart and was fighting to stay shut. Keeping the window open was like pushing against a spring. Everything was strained. Riku's arms shook. His shoulders ached. Everything from T8 on up felt like he had a million flaming hot needles sticking in him.

The replica had to decide immediately whether to trust him or not. Even if the answer was no he still needed an answer. It looked torn. Take the leap of faith that he _wasn't_ just another trick or lie sent by the Organization to torture him with false hope and go with him? Or take his chances in its present?

"Riku!"

He heard Rachel shout.

If he had been able to turn around, Riku would have seen the flower bundles of the lilac bush burst into full blossom, shrivel into dry brown shadows of their glorious selves and fall of the bush in droves. All in less than a minute. Time was running dangerously short.

* * *

Then, the Replica cast an ugly look at his younger self and, without warning, dove under his arm and through the window. No explanation, no questions.

Surprising way to get the mission accomplished but at this point, Riku _really_ couldn't care. If reasons were really that important he'd bring it up later. Now he could close the door. But before he did, Riku looked to his younger self. He was staring back at him, very bewildered and at a loss for what his next move should be.

Naturally Riku was tempted to say something, anything to his younger self. But he couldn't. Riku chose this time and place because he knew the outcome of the fight. His younger self would have beaten him and that would have been the end of it. It didn't have a future at that point. Whether defeated or moved to another timeline, it wouldn't exist anymore so couldn't mess up his or anyone elses timeline.

But Riku couldn't say anything to his younger self. That _did_ risk changing things. The more he said the worse it could get. He couldn't say what to expect at the mansion; that Sora was alright. He especially couldn't instruct or suggest finding the Mysterious Tower after helping Sora, perhaps having the chance to meet Rachel sooner. Doing so risked potentially dramatic changes to the future if his younger self was encouraged to walk a different path from the one that led to where he was now. It might be better, but maybe not. Who knew how the future was already re-aligning itself because of the spell. But the door had to close now. They couldn't have much time left and neither did Riku have the strength.

His younger self didn't look sure of what he should do. Riku smiled the best he could through the pain of keeping the window open a few seconds longer. Despite the risk, he couldn't just not say something.

"Everything's going to turn out just fine." Riku promised. "You're going to be okay."


	8. After The Spell

"Ok, that's it. We're dead. We are so very dead. Dead men walking. Our capacity for deadness has maxed out. Master Yen Sid will find out about this and we're dead. Maybe I should write my will? I, Master Rachel, of mostly sound mind, that's not a problem it's just my state of being, and extremely exhausted body bequeath the following: To my brother I leave my half of our Keyblade. It is my wish that Kairi take care of my cat. To Sora, I leave my magic book. I know he will take care of my characters. I would have given it to my boyfriend, Riku, but as he is dead along with me he won't have much use for it. I'd like to cremated and have my ashes scattered in the space between spaces so I may be all places at all times and look down on all my friends from the sky. Also-."

"Rachel."

"Yeah?"

"Shut up."

He didn't know what had just happened. He didn't know where he was. This place…it wasn't anything like Castle Oblivion. This was the biggest room he'd ever seen. And the strangest. He was standing among many odd designs and lines on the floor. All the lines led to one of three circles. One had a large pile of soil and dust. Another, a girl he'd never seen before. And the third, Riku. The Replica was certain it was him. He looked different. The darkness in his heart was dramatically different. But there was no one else it could've been.

He had been startled by the light at the gate and the person who came through claimed he could have what he'd longed for: to be more than a shadow. It didn't seem possible. But his mind, he didn't even know how, had somehow latched on to an impossible notion. Maybe, expecting him to fail, Vexen had created another replica, just designed to look older. He didn't know how or why Vexen did what he did so how could he say for certain what he would or wouldn't do? Maybe it had gotten away or found a new power to truly be individual. Maybe it wanted to help him do the same.

But no. He'd been foolish and naïve to hope; stupid even. Foolish to believe and be so ignorantly desperate to actually think something so impossible could happen to something like him. Never again would he allow himself to be so weak to resort to mere hope and faith to make something he desired happen.

But that still begged the question; where he was and who those people were. If that _was_ the real Riku…where exactly was this place? _What_ was this place? What about the Riku back at the gate? Was he right and this was all some kind of elaborate trick?

"Where am I!" He demanded. "What is this place?" Definitely _not_ Castle Oblivion. The castle had a distinct atmosphere this place lacked. But in a better way. Then again, what did he know about _better_ anything?

"Both notable questions that will be answered in due time." The girl said.

They both looked extremely tired. Was she a Nobody? No, there was a warmth about her he could sense that he hadn't felt with any of the other Nobodies.

"Tell me _now_!" He called his weapon. This was getting cleared up right now, even if he had to fight the truth out of them. He was not going to be tricked again or made a fool of.

"Just a sec. Oh boy am I glad my ears stopped ringing." The girl said. She'd been sitting but then lay on her back with her knees up.

"Rachel," Riku sounded very winded.

"Yeah?"

"Are my fingers moving?"

The girl apparently named Rachel tilted her head back as far as she could to look without having to move.

"Yes, why?"

"Because I can't feel it."

"You okay?"

"Everything's numb. Neck up and waist down I can feel. Everything in the middle is like it isn't there."

"Enough! Answer me! Where am I? What just happened?" He didn't like them talking like he wasn't there.

"This is the training castle of sorcery. We're nowhere near Castle Oblivion. We just…oh man, I don't like this. It feels like my brain is on a waterbed somebody just jumped on. Tell you what, how 'bout a proper one-on-one after a nice nap?"

" _What_?"

"That's a great idea." Riku agreed, though the exhaustion in his voice sounded like he was heading down that path already.

"No one's sleeping until you tell me what's going on!"

"And you'll know everything, I promise." The girl said. "Just wait a little longer. And I'd sit down if I were you. This won't hurt but falling over might."

"What are you talking about?" He snapped.

The girl didn't answer. A bright light appeared and she was holding something in her hand. A _Keyblade_?! Was she a champion of the Keyblade too? She tilted the large orange star at the end toward her face. It lit up from the inside. And she started… _singing_?

" _There's a long, long trail a-winding into the land of my dreams. Where the nightingales are singing_ -"

"What are you doing?"

The light within the gem glowed brighter. Pink light pulsed out from it and a blue haze surrounded it.

" _-and a white moon beams."_

The light and haze swirled with her words. But something else was happening. He started to feel relaxed. But at the same time it freaked him out. It was a very strange feeling.

"What are you doing to me!" So calm, so relaxed. But how was she doing it? He was starting to feel sleepy.

" _There's a long, long night a-waiting,"_

"Stop it!" So calm…so heavy. But he couldn't be. He couldn't let his guard down.

" _-until my dreams all come true."_

"What are…you…doing?"

" _Til the day that I'll be going,"_

So heavy…so sleepy.

" _\- down that long, long trail with you."_

* * *

The Replica opened his eyes. He felt bizarrely refreshed but his eyelids felt like a water buffalo was sitting on them. It was an odd mix of feelings to be relaxed, calm, confused and on the verge of panic. That girl had started singing and the next thing he knew he'd gotten so tired. Was she some kind of witch? Slowly he got up and looked carefully at where he was. This was a new room. A bedroom? He'd never had the opportunity to sleep on a real bed before. At least not one as comfy as this. Nothing about Castle Oblivion was particularly cozy. The comforter was plush and the pillows were fat. On the floor by the bedside was a thick rug. Patterned curtains fluttered, hinting the window behind them had been left open. Was he still dreaming? This place seemed so domestic. He wasn't sure how he felt about that. How did he get there anyway?

There was the door. Was he trapped in here? No, the door was unlocked. But where to go now? The hallways were enormous. Just how big was this place? Where were the others? He hadn't let go of the possibility this was still just some kind of elaborate trick. He was taking no chances about anything. Might as well just start walking, it wasn't like he knew where he was going so he didn't have anything to lose by going the wrong direction.

If this was a trick, and this place was just a fake or an illusion, he had to admit it was a really good one. He really hoped it wasn't some trick. This place was incredible. Many of the side doors he found were locked. Only the big doors that led to other hallways or grand rooms were left open. Was he being led somewhere? Only allowed passage to where someone wanted him to go? He didn't like being pulled around like a rat in a maze.

Then, he heard something. Singing again? He was immediately on his guard. Fingers in ears right away if he started feeling drowsy. No, just singing. An upbeat song too. And it was coming from the nearest door. Cautiously he opened the door. It was the same room as before. The ceiling was high. The back wall was in fact a huge window with elaborate stained-glass designs. A full-grown tree was growing right from the floor. There were lots of shelves of books, long tables and incredibly crafted chandeliers.

"- _this ol' house dog lies a-sleepin' he don' know I'm gonna leave, else he'd wake up by the fireplace and he'd sit there an' howl an' grieve._

 _But my hun'in' days are over, ain't gonna hunt the coon no more. Gabriel dun brought in my chariot when the wind blew down the door! Ain't gonna need this house no longer, ain't gon_ -oh hi. Sorry about that earlier. You ok?"

She'd seen him and stopped singing. She was gliding a mop across the floor, clearing up the lines that had been painted on the floor. Why was she so casual? If she was a part of this…whatever was going on… wouldn't the part where they reveal their plans be soon? If this was something nefarious, why would she take the time to do something so normal as mop?

"Who are you?" He didn't bother with niceties.

"Keyblade Master Rachel. Full title isn't necessary. Rachel is fine." She looked up when talking to him but didn't stop her task.

"So you are a hero of the Keyblade."

"Yep."

"Where are we?"

"Specifically? This is the Atrium. Generally, this is like a school. This place has been used as a training location for aspiring sorcerers and great wizards for centuries. There just aren't a lot of training-age wizards left so the three of us are the only ones in this castle. Us and my pets."

"So you _are_ a witch."

"Sorceress in training." She corrected. "Careful if you're coming over here, polished marble is slippery when wet."

He stared at her blankly. Was she serious? Worried he might trip? He was still waiting on proper answers and she was talking causally to him like old friends making small talk. Why would she? If she was working with Riku, she'd know about what he was.

"Where is he."

"Riku? Up there." Rachel pointed with the end of the mop to the tree. There was a treehouse built among the braches. "I woke up first so I moved you both someplace more comfortable. That room you woke up in is for you, by the way."

"Room?"

"Well you gotta sleep somewhere."

This was getting weird. She didn't know him, he didn't know her and he didn't trust anything about this. So why was she talking to him like a guest? He wasn't going to stay here.

"What do you want with me." He wasn't going to say anything like a question. He wanted answers. He was going to get them.

"Me? Nothing. It was Riku's idea to bring you here."

"Him? Why?"

"Maximum abridged version: He felt bad about the way your story ended and his role in it and wanted to give you a second chance."

"So…this is the future?" He asked, confirming the impossible suspicion he had before.

"For the Riku you fought at the gate, that was his future. The Riku over there now is obviously his present."

"So that makes this my what?" As impossible as time travel seemed, it didn't really surprise or alarm him. Which in itself was surprising.

"Your present, I guess."

"This isn't my future too?"

The girl looked at him strangely. Was that sadness? That would be weird. She barely knew him, why would she be sad for him? It wasn't like anyone had before. No, not quite sadness, but what was it then?

"No…this is just a… _deviation_ from your present, I guess is what you'd call it. In the place you were a few hours ago…you didn't have a future."

He stared at her, letting the words sink in. Then that meant…the fight the future Riku interrupted…he wouldn't have survived it? That's why she said a moment ago 'the way his story ended'. By 'story' she meant his life. Or at least his existence. It wasn't as though he could call it a life. Or had the right to call it a life. He remembered now his feelings when he sought out the real Riku. He had been angry and desperate, still was. He wanted to get Riku out of the picture for good. If he succeeded, he would no longer be a shadow. If he failed, then he would no longer have to concern himself with any of it.

The girl, Rachel, looked over the floor, confirmed she hadn't missed a spot and put away her cleaning implements. How could she act like all this was normal? He was nothing. He didn't trust her. He wasn't her friend. He certainly didn't trust or like Riku. Why would she talk to him this way? Why treat him like an old friend? She sounded comfortable talking to him. Sincere even. It was a lot to wrap his head around. No one had spoken to him before without malice or at least some kind of trickery behind their words.

"So what's your name?"

"What?"

"I know what you are, but Replica Riku can't be your name."

Amazing how one question and one statement felt like a punch in the stomach. How could he have not thought about this before? He wanted to step out of Riku's shadow, to be his own person, but would that mean taking Riku's name? Sora had called him Riku but that was because he believed him to be the friend he grew up with; not because that was who he was. He didn't answer.

"I guess that'll be step one." Rachel said. "We'll have to come up with something to call you if you're going to be living here."

"I'm not staying here." He said quickly.

"I'm afraid there's no highway option on that point. If Master Yen Sid finds out Riku and I took you from your timeline, I'll probably be spending the next year or so three inches tall in a terrarium."

"Then that's your problem. You can't keep me here. I won't be imprisoned by anyone."

"Don't think of this place as a prison. The castle is huge with lots of gardens and big courtyards and will undoubtedly be more comfortable and homey than Castle Oblivion. Personally I'd live here if I could."

"Well good for you. You can't make me stay here."

"I'd really rather not have to prove to you that I can."

So she thought she was strong enough to put him in his place, huh? That was debatable. He hadn't even had a proper chance to test his new powers. He wouldn't go down without a fight. No one was going to make him do what he didn't want to ever again. He would prove that if she insisted she could make him stay. He'd let it be for now.

"How did you make me fall asleep earlier."

"A special talent of one of my Keyblades. When I sing into the gem of Ocean Song, the words have power. So I sang like a lullaby thinking it best we be rested with clear heads before we started talking. One of my teachers, Merlin, once suggested I embrace the title of Siren or something with a similar implication. Still thinking on that one."

A Keyblade hero. A sorceress with a magical voice. Another castle. The real Riku knew how their last fight ended and his future self wanted to help him? Yeah, like he was going to believe all that.

"Where does the Organization play into all this?"

"Organization Thirteen? The Organization crumbled completely some time ago. Many of the Nobody members got their hearts back and best I understand are trying to get back to their normal lives. The Organization has no power anymore."

Well that was a surprise. The Organization gone? One less thing to worry about then. But…a Nobody could have its heart returned? They could get themselves back? Great. One more thing he could never have. He never had a 'self' to begin with, let alone to reclaim.

"Why did the real Riku do this?"

"Why don't you ask him when he wakes up?"

"I'm not talking to him."

"That'll be tough as he's around here a lot. He's gone through a lot so he could give you another chance."

"Why should I believe that?" The real Riku had been butting heads with him ever since the moment they met. Not that surprising really. But suddenly want to turn it all around and help him? That was a pill he refused to swallow.

A sharp whistle got their attention.

* * *

***Please make no correction, comment or question about bringing up the replica's name supposedly being Repliku, as far as I'm concerned, that's headcanon. I have done my own research into this. If something seems off to anybody, assume I'm leading up to something or I left out/changed something to make my own story run smoother. Just ride the wave and enjoy the story. Until the next chapter, Truth.

***Also, the ASK corner is still open (all details in Bound By Light: Destinies Intertwined CH22 (ASK)). I will soon be posting the latest question on my DeviantArt account. Please feel free to PM me if you would like to participate in the ASK corner.


	9. Tension

"Riku! Are you all right?"

"I think so. Still tired."

"How'd you manage to whistle so loudly then?"

"It took a few tries."

Rachel had gone up into the treehouse with Riku. The Replica stood and waited at the base of the tree, listening to what they were saying.

"How are you feeling?"

"There's still a lot I can't feel. It's like someone shot all of me up with Novocain."

"Can you feel that?"

"Kinda, but it's hard to move."

"That must've taken a lot more muscle work than I realized. How 'bout that?"

"Yes. Tomorrow is really going to hurt."

"I think I know a potion that might help. I'll get started on it today. What about that?"

"Stop poking me!"

"Need anything? Another pillow? Some water?"

"I'm fine for now, thanks."

"I could get you to a bed if that's more comfortable."

"How would you do that?"

"The same way I got you up here."

"Which was, dare I ask?"

"Um…I turned you into a squirrel first."

"Fantastic." He said dryly.

"If it makes you feel any better you're really adorable as a squirrel. Even my squirrel tail isn't that fluffy."

"Please stop talking about me as a squirrel."

There was a short silence. Just the sound of shuffling.

"He's here right?"

"Yeah. We've been talking."

"And?"

"Not sure yet."

"I _can_ hear you!"

"Wasn't trying to hide anything." Rachel called down.

"You can come up if you like."

As if. He was staying on his toes in case all this politeness was just some kind of ruse.

"I'll be back." He heard Rachel say. There was a bit more shuffling then she climbed down the treehouse ladder. "What do you say you and I take a wander through the castle?"

"I'm not being lured anywhere."

"Who's luring? That was an invitation."

"I don't think Rachel knows how to be manipulative." Riku's voice came from the treehouse.

"Oh I do," She replied to him. "But I usually save my silver tongue for Bryan. It takes quite a bit to convince him to do the things I don't want to do."

"I'm learning more about you all the time."

"Later then." She said to Riku. "C'mon. I'll show you around."

Might as well. Wasn't' going to be his fault when she realized how big a fool she made of herself trying to schmooze him with false niceties when he saw the truth from the beginning.

So this girl, Rachel, showed him about the castle. There was a power here but it wasn't darkness. Or at least if it was it was very carefully disguised. It seemed like they were walking for a long time. She showed him areas like the kitchen, library and the great hall. He decided he'd be saving a lot of energy to not correct her every time she insinuated these were things he'd need to know for living there. But that wasn't what annoyed him the most. From the real Riku's implanted memories, the Replica was familiar with the phrase 'kill 'em with kindness' and, oh boy, he'd bash in his own head if he had to put up with much more of this. Just how stupid did she think he was to believe he was buying this I-just-want-to-be-friends-you-are-so-welcome-here act?

"Gardens are down that hall. The door is the tall one made of green glass. Training hall is down this way. You're welcome down there whenever you like. Heck, with practice you could one day be a challenge for me."

She said it in a light and joking manner but he didn't find it at all funny. So she thought she was stronger than him? Maybe he should just challenge her on the spot to show how tough he was already. He was getting a distinct impression she underestimated him in every way. Eventually he couldn't take it anymore. She was going to take him seriously so he threw Manners against a wall and told her off.

"Will you stop acting like a tour guide already? I don't know what you think you're up to but you can stop pretending. I've been around too many people, well not _people_ , but I've seen what it looks like when someone whispers reassuring words through a forked tongue just to get you to do what they want. So cut the act! Just tell me what this is _really_ about so I can get out of here."

It was then she rounded on him, her kind eyes encased in an icy luster. Good. He'd called her out. Finally her true colors were starting to show. No…he'd just managed to get her quills up, she was offended, or frustrated. He expected her to start yelling. Attack him. Something. Stop this calm charade and express how she really felt. But she didn't.

"It's becoming clear that you are reluctant to believe I can just be a good person with no interest in manipulating you and I could tell from the start you don't respect me. I want to help. From what Riku's told me I can understand your skepticism and distrust. But I won't put up with the kind of attitude you've been giving me. The rudeness will end. You don't have to like me, but you _will_ respect me."

Rachel held up her right hand. With her left, she mimed taking an imaginary something off of it. Then with a dramatic flick of her arm, acted like she were tossing something at his feet.

"Tomorrow morning we'll meet in the training hall. I challenge you to a battle. If I win, you remain at the castle and get a must-needed attitude adjustment. If you win, you do whatever you want. But let me make this clear. I just threw down the gauntlet of challenge and I fully intend to make you pick it up."

* * *

The next morning came quickly. The Replica stayed in the guest room Rachel had indicated. He found his way to the training hall pretty easily. Largely because all the side doors still refused him entry.

He didn't have to wait long in the training hall before both Rachel and the real thing showed up. Riku was walking gingerly like he was having a difficult time moving. Good. Here's hopin' it hurt. Rachel looked ready to fight. Or ready to lose as he saw it. He knew how to fight. He had skills. And he could sense she was a warrior of light. Good. If there was one thing about the Organization he agreed on, the use of darkness was the true power rush. The more that could be acquired and used, the stronger one became. He had to believe that.

Riku sat down on a bench on the side of the training yard. Good. He'd love to see his face when his friend was brought to her knees and he walked away from their alleged 'help' for good. There were lines painted on the floor. Rachel stood behind one. So this 'duel' was going to be done in an official capacity. Fine. What did he care? The win was what was important, not the formalities. So he stood behind another line not far away. Rachel held out her arm and with a white flash of light her Keyblade appeared in her hand. The blade was covered in and made of jewels and gold. A string of pearls was woven between the negative spaces of the shaft. He called Soul Eater. She assumed a battle stance. He did the same. Interesting that she didn't say anything. She seemed the talkative type. Didn't matter. Once she saw what he was capable of, she'd have quite a lot to say.

But things didn't go quite the way he thought they might.

The battle began as one might expect it to. There was a significant amount of battle cries and the echoing chorus of clashing weapons. He was faster than she was; he picked up on that right away. Great. He could use that to his advantage. But he couldn't find a way to make it happen. She seemed prepared for everything he could think to throw at her. Yet her strength seemed nothing too extraordinary. So why couldn't he land a good hit? What did she have that he didn't? He was faster and she showed no sign of being more powerful. Was she holding back? Well that was insulting if it were true. Fine, he'd up his game.

"You think you're better than me?" He said cockily.

"I don't need to think, I know how good I am."

He laughed. "Then let's put that to the test." With a dramatic thrust of Soul Eater, he was instantly garbed in Darkness. The power rush that came with it was like getting struck by lightning. It felt so good. No, better than good. And yet…

She must have been able to sense the darkness he just called. He could certainly sense her light. And if she claimed to be a Keyblade master, sensing the Light or Darkness in someone's heart was basic. Either this girl had a _really_ fantastic poker face or she really wasn't put off at all by his first display of dark powers. Well that was a little…deflating. Ok, so she wasn't surprised or alarmed. He could fix that.

Darkness pooled around him on the ground, swirling like a pulsing ooze. It also wisped around him like mist. He smiled as he noted her eyes looking around him at the dark energy. Good. It had her attention. But that seemed to be about it. Seriously? Her heart was full of light, he could tell that easily. She wasn't afraid of the Dark as he had once sensed Riku of being. Still, as a warrior of Light, shouldn't she at least hate it? But nothing! Not surprised or appalled or even worried. Just adjusting for how to continue the duel. Ok, so she knew what she was doing. Still, nobody likes the feeling of having their pride or I-know-I'm-all-that-kind-of-awesome balloon punctured.

Rachel rolled her shoulders and swung Treasure In You a few times.

"If _that's_ the way you want to tango my dance card's wide open."

He blinked. _What_?

In one swift movement Rachel bent forward and crossed her arms in front of her. For a second the light of the entire training yard flickered and dimmed, like a candle caught in a draft. When it was over, something about her had changed.

Her clothes were darker. The darkest parts had a glimmer like when polished leather catches the light. A jet black cape was now draped behind her. It moved and shifted as though it were caught in the flow of water. Something was around her head too. It looked like she had black war paint on each side of her face and down her forehead. Also small, but distinct curled rams' horns on the side of her head. Something like black smoke wisped around the horns. There was only one thing it could be.

But that didn't make any sense! She was a Keyblade warrior, right? And a _Master_ at that. How and why would she be using Darkness? But _was_ it Darkness? It had to be. But it was different somehow. But that didn't seem possible. As he controlled Darkness himself, he knew what it felt like, how to sense it and hers felt… _wrong_. It was Darkness…but not like any he'd ever known about. That put him on edge, and he didn't like it. How could a Keyblade master have such a unique hold on the Darkness?

Then things got crazy.

He'd let his guard down and she struck fast and hard. There was hardly any time to react from her strike. It must have been her new power that gave her such speed. But he had dark powers too. No doubt he knew how to use them better than she did. Too bad he was wrong again. The thrashings he had to dodge were incredible. Even when he tried to give it right back to her in kind it felt like he were trying to break down a brick wall with a broom handle. What kind of Darkness was she using that gave her this kind of advantage! This wasn't possible! And just when he thought he couldn't fight any harder, he had to.

Rachel jumped back and with a dramatic thrust of her arm, the blackness around her peeled off as easily as slipping off a sweater. Only it didn't disappear. It pulled itself away and rose up behind her. Immediately the Darkness took shape. It had a vaguely feminine torso but no visible legs, its shape just sort of melded into blackness. The face was human-like but with no defining features like a mouth or distinguishable nose. The eyes glowed light yellow but there was no pupil or iris. It had hair, kinda, more like shifting darkness that moved about its head like black flame. The curled horns were still visible but it didn't seem to have ears. The hands had only four clawed fingers and blackness draped from its arms like a long shawl that appeared to also be one with its body. It kept its neck and head very stiff but its torso and lower body moved like a cobra following a flute.

He couldn't believe it. What was that supposed to _be_? Was it a Heartless? It was made of Darkness but the wrong kind. _And that didn't make any sense_! Rachel stood very calm and still. How could she _not_ be giving off Darkness from around _or_ within herself yet be _using_ it at the same time? But there was that icy battle luster in her eyes. She half-looked over her shoulder at the thing and whispered,

"Get 'im."

And the Shadow attacked.

The Replica barely had time to defend. The shadow creature dove at the ground, its form flattening and it moved along the floor like a living puddle before rising again in full form beside him. He swung hard to fend it off. It was solid. That was good. If it could be hit, it could be hurt. But the shadow creature could stretch and manipulate its body. Rachel did nothing as it did the fighting for her. This was ridiculous! He wasn't doing a very good job keeping the shadow thing at bay. How could she summon a dark creature?! What _was_ it? A kind of Heartless? A dark spirit? What was it and how had she summoned it?

And before he knew it, it was over. He thought he had a plan but the shadow creature moved too fluidly. It struck too hard. And it finally spread its arms and covered him with its shadow cloak. He couldn't get his arm free to strike back. It had him pinned. It anchored itself over him as well as through the floor. With its form in both physical and shadow powers, nothing could move it.

Rachel walked up and stood over him. If she started gloating, he'd sooner end himself as soon as the shadow let him up. There was no way he could endure that kind of humiliation. Losing this badly was bad enough without her reveling in it.

"Go on!" He snapped. "Just get your gloating over with!"

But she didn't say anything. Why did that feel worse than getting yelled at? And a lot more infuriating too.

"Do you give up?"

"No!" He snapped.

"Can you still fight?"

"No." He growled through gritted teeth. She could see he couldn't so why bother asking.

"Then I win. The agreement was if I won, you stay. I won, so no more complaining."

He stared at her. That was all she was going to say? The shadow lifted away from him and slid back into the floor where it vanished. But she didn't say anything else. Her Keyblade was dismissed and she made to leave.

" _That's it_?"

Rachel stopped. "What? Would you rather I rub it in? I challenged you, I won, now the terms must be honored. Cut and dry. Now you can do what you like, so long as it's within the boundaries of the training castle."

He was quite stunned by the annoying simplicity of her explanation but he had no time to respond. At the edge of the arena, Riku had cried out and suddenly dropped to his knees as if he'd been hurt. Rachel was at his side in a heartbeat.

"Riku! What happened?"

"I…I don't know. It-it's like…" He began that deep mouth-breathing one tends to resort to when they're trying to keep their cookies down after a spinny carnival ride. "Something...I can-my head."

"What's wrong?" She asked worriedly.

"The time window! The-the past! I can see it-no. I can _remember_ it both ways! But we changed things. How can I remember _both_ outcomes?" Riku didn't dare stand up. He'd never felt so dizzy and nauseous in his whole life. He closed his eyes but that didn't stop the feeling like his brain was riding a fast swinging pendulum.

He could see the battle outside the mansion. It was like watching a badly spliced movie with one film directly over top of the other. One memory had him winning the fight and the replica saying its final words before fading into blackness. In the other, the fight was interrupted by a bright light and an older version of himself taking the replica away, leaving him alone in the clearing. Bewildered by the bizarre experience but still mission oriented, Riku saw his younger self entering the mansion and finding Naminé. At that point the stories lined up. The only difference was in one of them he had frequent wonderings as to what exactly happened that day, what had happened to the replica and what sort of power was responsible.

"I should've known," Rachel apologized. She rubbed his back lightly but remained on her toes in case he did in fact get sick (as it looked he might) and had to step back. "There isn't anything we could have done that would have been without some sort of consequence. Now you've got two timelines of the same event in your head."

"You couldn't have known. And I was the one who insisted we do this." Riku told her. He spoke quietly, not wanting to open his mouth too far out of fear it might invite his gag reflex to just give up.

"Need anything?"

"I'll be fine." He managed to say. "But I will be talking to you later."

* * *

"Do you mind telling me what _that_ was!"

After a good rest and after his head stopped pounding, Riku made sure to express his thoughts about the display he had just seen on the battlefield.

"A firm hand was needed, so I delivered."

"You used Darkness." He spoke candidly.

"Yeah, _mine_."

"That shadow thing-."

"Was _my_ shadow. That was _my_ darkness; Darkness that was unique to me. Remember what I said about a person's darkness manifesting to be used for them? That wasn't just a theory. I was working on making it happen, and I did!"

Riku still looked skeptical and unimpressed. "You don't need me to tell you how I feel about this."

"It's ok, I got this. I didn't reach out to the Dark. Only within. I showed you what my heart looks like, the Light is balanced by Darkness just like everyone else's. I promise, I only made use of what was already mine."

Riku still didn't look completely convinced. But he wasn't so blind to see how hard she was avoiding saying things like how _she'd_ never resort to using, for lack of a better term, outside darkness. He appreciated the sensitive way she worded her explanation. He knew she didn't think of herself above him in any way so she tried hard not to word it like she might. That still didn't ease the itch he had that her method had the potential for going south in a bad way if she wasn't careful. But she didn't argue or get defensive when he told her how he felt about it and he would be paying attention if anything about her changed because of it. He could tell she appreciated him caring so much.

"Where is he?" Riku asked, sensing the topic needed to end.

"Sulking probably."

"Think he'll honor the terms of the challenge?"

"I don't even know if there is a _beyond_ the training castle. It wouldn't surprise me at all if this was some sort of created pocket dimension or something only accessible by portal to those who know where it is. I knew I was going to win so I kinda…left that part out."

"So it will be hard for him to leave even if he tried."

"Yes."

"So what now?"

"What do you mean, 'what now'? This whole thing was your idea."

"I didn't exactly write up an itinerary for this! Obviously there's no way he can meet the others or go to the Tower."

"Pfffft! You bet he can't! If Master Yen Sid finds out what we did?" Rachel shuddered. "I like being three-dimensional, thanks."

"You'll take care of him when I'm not here, won't you?"

"Of course. Now you better head back before my brother starts getting suspicious as to why you've been here so long."

Riku gave her a light kiss on the forehead as well as a hug. "Thanks for doing all of this."


	10. New Home

The following morning the Replica found his way downstairs after nearly getting lost a few times. Surprising, considering most of the doors still wouldn't open and the ones that did were usually just to a room, not hall or stairway.

Once he eventually got to the first floor, every turn he took seemed to circle right back to the same door, which turned out to lead to the kitchen. Did that Rachel do that somehow? Trapped him in a loop so he could only go to one place? Great way to start the day off: irritated. But the kitchen was empty. Food was steaming on the table but there was no one there. There was no evidence anyone had _been_ there either. No used plates or silverware on the counter, no dirty dishes piled up in the sink. Just a breakfast setting for one and nothing else. No sense pretending this wasn't deliberately meant for him.

So he sat down and helped himself. There was never anything like this at Castle Oblivion. Everything was cozy and comfortable, nothing at all like what he had been used to. The problem was, he was enjoying it already. That bothered him. He still held fast to his suspicions about this place and Rachel and the real things motives. He liked a soft bed and rich breakfast. He could see himself getting used to it really fast. However, if this was all to make him drop his guard and become more malleable for manipulation, he was afraid he was on the fast track to letting it happen if he wasn't careful.

He froze.

He noticed something. But he couldn't name it. What was he sensing? It didn't make any sense for the food to be poisoned. Shame if it was too, it was delicious. No, it was something else. He wasn't alone. Someone was in fact in the room and had probably been there the whole time. That's what he sensed. It was the feeling when you realize someone is watching you. Immediately his senses were on alert. There was no Light or Darkness to sense at all. Odd. Who could be so powerful to be able to mask their heart so perfectly? He couldn't sense anything behind him. Of course if they could mask their heart, who knows what other stealth tricks they knew? So he did what he could do without letting on he was aware he wasn't alone; he glanced around the room as casually as he could. But there was no one. So why was he plagued with the feeling of being watched? Was he just being paranoid?

But it isn't paranoia if something is actually happening. It just took him a second to realize was it was. Ever stared at something so hard you're actually not seeing anything? You're staring at your floor looking for an item and your eyes sort of glaze over and it takes you several long seconds to realize you were looking directly at what you were after the whole time just not seeing it.

Across the room, sitting in a sunny windowsill was a large black and white long-haired cat. It sat upright with a regal air to its posture, ears turned forward, tail wrapped around its feet. And it was staring, unblinking at him with large jade-green eyes.

The Replica stared back, feeling a little stupid he got his guard up because of a cat. However, he wasn't entirely sure it was real. Could a cat really sit that still? Did somebody just have a really odd sense of decoration? He watched it for a long time. And just as he was about to conclude it was a realistic statue, it blinked. It was still amazing any being, human or animal could remain so motionless for so long.

Now he felt awkward under its stare. Had it been staring at him like that since he got there? Why would a cat be staring him down like that? _Was_ it in fact a cat? Could that Rachel girl turn herself into an animal and had been watching him the whole time? He scowled. That wouldn't surprise him at all.

"Stop it." He said. The cat didn't move. "Stop staring." It blinked. "Will you knock it off already!" He shouted at it. "Stop staring at me!"

"Who are you talking to?"

The Replica turned to the door, Rachel was standing there, holding it open. That was his first clue she had only just arrived so the cat couldn't have been a trick. He looked between her and the cat, feeling very stupid for thinking it had been her.

"Ah, I see you've met my princess."

"Your what?"

Rachel glided to the windowsill. Only when the cat heard her voice did it show any signs of life other than blinking. It looked to her and swished its tail once like an excited dog. As Rachel came near, it stood up and met her at the edge of the windowsill, leaning her head heavily into her mistress' hand for a scratch.

"This is Tatania the Tower Cat. I accidentally summoned her to me years ago when she was just a kitten. I brought her to the castle with me for company." Rachel held her hand almost around the cats' throat, scratching behind an ear with her fingers and massaging around the jaw with her thumb.

"Why was it staring at me?"

"She." Rachel corrected. "Observation probably. Tatania is more aware of herself and her surroundings than most cats. You're new to her. She was probably just observing before forming an opinion."

For some reason the Replica found the correction of the cats identity from 'it' to 'she' to be irritating. It was an _animal_. Despite how people feel about their pets, the life of an animal is inferior to a human. There was no way it could have a true heart, soul, hopes, dreams and yet Rachel insisted it be addressed as a 'she' and it had the intelligence and comprehension to form an opinion.

What did that say about him then? What did that say about how that Rachel would treat him? She called an animal by name and explained its behavior like she were describing a human. If she felt her _pet_ was worthy of that kind of recognition, could it be she really would, or _did_ regard him as an equal? Despite knowing what he was?

"I'm off to one of the potion labs. You can come and watch if you like." Rachel picked up Tatania from the windowsill, who curled her up in her arms, and went to the door.

Not sure what else he could do, he followed.

The potion lab was a room made entirely of stone. No doubt made that way in the event of an explosion or spill or something. Rock doesn't burn or liquefy that well. No doubt everything was magically reinforced against accidents too. Rachel dropped Tatania. The sassy cat trotted across the floor until she came to a counter she deemed worthy to be her throne. Rachel set to the work of preparing a potion. Ok, now what was he supposed to do? Stay back? Sit down?

"So, given any thought to what you're going to call yourself?"

"What?"

"Well, you never said whether you even had a name. If you don't, that means you get to choose. I'll help if you'd like. I create characters all the time so coming up with names is easy."

He didn't answer. He hadn't given it any thought at all. He wasn't exactly sure how serious she'd been when she spoke of it earlier. But why hadn't he? The only true constant he had was trying to prove he was better than the real Riku. Better, and worthy of being 'real'; but also accepting and acquiring powers the real thing never dare touch. That would make him stronger, better _and_ different. He hated looking like, sounding like and having similar powers to someone else. But…had he been ok with accepting that name?

"I could get you started if you like." She spoke as she gathered potion ingredients on the table surrounding a small cauldron. "Let's see, what's good? Adrian? Aiden? Belsario. Bjorn. Chayton. Cyrus. Cysero."

"Um,"

"Just sayin' the first thing that comes to my head. Dryden. Drake. Davis. Elias. Ezra…nope. That one won't work, he's one of mine already. Sarcastic little word-I-don't-use but oh boy, can he _sing_!"

"Can you stop?"

"No help?"

"Yes! No help."

"Neh. Fine."

And the conversation ended. Seriously? Just like that? He made a note right there to figure her out and fast. She seemed to live completely off-script from what a person might expect and it was making his head reel.

"So what are you making?" He asked, changing the subject.

"It's a sleeping draught. Says in the book it quickly brings you into the deepest pits of slumber for the most refreshing nights' sleep you'll ever have. Only problem is it also says it's supposed to taste terrible. Of course, _terrible_ could be relative. I think cherry flavored cough syrup tastes terrible but I can swallow it if I have to."

He wasn't sure how to respond. Add on to the conversation or try and bring up something else? Obviously his social interactive skills were a bit lacking. And nobody likes to feel awkward so he said nothing. But the silence also felt awkward.

"You said you'd answer any questions I had. Are you going to stick by that?"

"Of course, what'd you like to know?"

Where to start? "How did you meet the real Riku?"

"It was a while ago. Master Yen Sid told us of a world where other key bearers live. So that was the first time my brother and I went to the Destiny Islands."

"Brother?"

"Yeah. Not all of us can be an only child."

"You care about him, don't you."

"My brother? Of course."

"No! I mean the real Riku."

"Well he _is_ my boyfriend."

Somehow that answer felt like getting kicked in the stomach. It also made his skin itch with anger and frustration that, once again, the real thing had something that he felt he never could.

"Mind if I ask you one?"

"Uh, I guess so."

"You want to feel more like your own person, right? So what's the plan?"

He didn't answer. He really didn't have one. It was the one thing he longed for but struggled to get.

"Seriously? It's what you desire above all else and you haven't given any thought to how to start?"

"Well, I-uh. This isn't exactly-why? Have you?"

"It's a curse. I have the same problem with creative projects or stories. An idea works its way in and tortures me until I see it through."

His stomach lurched, but in a good way. This might be something. "You've got an idea?" He asked as casually as he could.

"You want to hear all the steps to my thought?"

" _Yes_." He said impatiently.

"First step would be to decide on a name. Once you pick a name, it will be _your_ name. The first mark of identity."

"You said that already."

"Doesn't mean I'm less right."

"What else?"

"What about appearance?"

"What?" He asked nervously.

"Have you seen yourself? Don't get me wrong, you're still quite dashing, but you look exactly as Riku did at sixteen."

"So what do you suggest?" He was still a bit nervous about what she might say.

"Do something with your hair."

"Excuse me?"

"You'd be amazed how much hairstyle can affect appearance."

"I don't know…" He wasn't sure why he was feeling that twinge of reluctance. He looked like Riku and he hated it. Still, there is that sliver of vanity within everybody.

"Here, I'll prove it."

Rachel stepped back from her little cauldron, reached up to her ponytail and pulled the tie out. She shook her head and her hair cascaded around her shoulders. Wow. Seeing is believing. The whole dynamic of her appearance changed with her hair down. She looked nice. No! Why was he thinking that? Even if it was just the result of false memories, the only girl he'd cared for was Naminé. So it wasn't like he thought girls were the enemy…well, he just thought _everyone_ was.

"So…who would do it? You?"

"I could."

"Have you ever done it before?"

"I've trimmed my brothers hair a few times. How hard can it be?"

"What else." He said, changing the subject.

"Find out what you like."

"How do I do that?"

"Same way everyone else does, you try things. If you like it, you do it again."

That one had a bit of a _duh_ ring to it. But that didn't get him any closer to figuring out where to begin. "Where am I supposed to start?" He asked impatiently. Best still make it obvious he wasn't trusting all of this completely in case she thought she was getting closer to manipulating him.

Rachel was combing her hair with her fingers then braided it. When her reach couldn't go any further behind her, she brought the braid around over her shoulder and finished it. She read the next step for her potion before answering. Interesting how her fingers flew around her hair without even looking at it.

"I got an idea where to begin."

Then she did something that took him completely by surprise. She flew! Really flew! She just lifted her legs, floated in midair then took off to the large book cabinet behind her! The shelf she was looking at was completely within her reach if she were to stand, but she just kinda hovered. Rachel pulled out a book, double-checked the cover and flew right to him, handing him the book. He looked at what she'd given him. It was a leather-bound book. It looked very old but still in good condition. _Brewing for Beginners_ was embellished on the front.

"What is this? A potion book?"

"Yep. These are some of the simplest potions you could find anywhere. Really easy to make but no less useful. Something quick and easy for you to try. Test if you like it. Ingredients are organized here really well so it shouldn't be too hard finding what you need. Feel free to ask if you need help."

And she went back to her own potion.

If he had any inklings at all as to how to the conversation would have gone, the reality took an entirely different direction. He looked down at the book again. Not at all what he was expecting but at least it was a step forward.

The distinct smell of old parchment and ink wafted from the pages as the book was opened. The table of contents was broken into three categories: Sleep, Transformations and Cure-Alls. Beneath each were several subheadings with brief descriptions of what the potion did. Under Sleep were a few different spells to induce sleep. Others were focused on dreams. One said it made good dreams, another made nightmares, another just insured you would _have_ a dream and could remember it. The Transformation category was short with only a few ways to slightly change appearance. Cure-Alls were the longest with remedies for all sorts of things from headaches to toothaches. None of these potions were exceptionally potent or with long-lasting results. For example, the potion for bone growth was more for aiding and speeding up the healing process than to immediately fix. No doubt there were other, more powerful brews that did the same thing but with more lasting results. But this was of course just a beginners guide.

He shrugged. No start was a bad start at this point. So he prepared a spot on the long counter and gave it a try.


	11. Root of the Problem

For the next hour, the Replica and the Master worked side by side on their separate projects. Tatania had abandoned her spot along a back counter and got comfortable a few feet away from him, watching him work. But of course that tends to be a bit distracting; as you're compelled every few seconds to look up from your task to see if you're still being stared at.

All the while they talked, mostly the Replica asking Rachel questions. He felt uncomfortable when she asked things of him. He didn't have much to say. A lot of the memories he had were either implanted phantoms of what the real Riku knew, or unpleasant ones from his time at Castle Oblivion. That place…that time…they seemed so far away and long ago now, even though for him it had only been a few days. It's like that feeling after a busy day that morning's breakfast feels like it happened days ago.

"Why do you hate Riku so much?"

One of those questions he really would have been more comfortable that she hadn't asked.

"It doesn't matter."

"Yes it does. He's going to be around here a lot and I'd rather not have a lot of hostility between you two. So I want to hear your side. Why do you not like him?"

It wasn't an answer that could easily be put into words. "You can't possibly begin to imagine what it's like to be a hollow copy of someone." He said darkly. "I look like him. I sound like him. I'm just a shadow of him. Nothing about me is my own. How am I supposed to know if anything I feel is real? How can I tell if my feelings about anything aren't just a reflection of his weak heart?"

"As awful as that is, and believe me, I'm not trying to downplay your situation any, but you haven't answered my question. Where does Riku fit into that equation? What role did Riku play in regard to you coming into being? Apart from being the unknowing template? What did her personally do to you that was so horrible to warrant such distain?"

He didn't answer but he felt a lurch in his stomach as she spoke.

"Riku told me all he knew about the Nobody, Vexen. Vexen created you, not Riku. Vexen made you as a cruel way to torment Riku and who knows what else. Riku didn't plan anything with Vexen. You wouldn't exist without Vexen and his cruel, twisted motives. Riku just got caught in the middle. But I think I've got an idea why you're so hostile to him."

"Oh yeah? _How_?" He snapped, daring her to come up with a decent answer, let alone a right one. This was getting uncomfortable and he didn't like it.

"You need someone to blame for the hole in your life. From your first meeting with Riku onward, there was nothing but distain between you. That was on you. You chose not to like him. Vexen made you. He didn't make you decide how you felt about things. But when you began questioning yourself, he was already gone so you couldn't turn your frustrations on him so they had to go somewhere. All around were people you couldn't trust and wouldn't understand or care about what you were feeling. There was no outlet for the tangle of confusion and torment. The only one left was Riku. Forgive me for saying so, but I think you hate him just because there's no one else left to hate."

His stood very tense. His whole body quivered with a building rage. "You have no idea what you're talking about." He growled softly. He hated that he could feel the corners of his mouth were twitching downward into a frown. He couldn't cry. Even if it was in angry frustration, crying was for the weak. He also couldn't deny what she said. And everything began to break.

Her calm, reasoning voice struck him harder than a runaway train. With every word he felt a bit of himself unraveling. His purpose, his foundation crumbled away because deep down, he knew her words were true. He didn't want to admit it so badly he'd almost forgotten that truth. Riku was just as much a victim as he was. Riku didn't ask for the events of Castle Oblivion any more than he did. His guiding focus was false. He had no foundation to solidly base his hatred upon. He just needed to make someone an enemy so defeating them would feel like he'd accomplished something.

" _Why did you do that!?"_ He shouted at her. Everything shook, his voice, his body; he didn't dare take a step forward for fear of collapse by any movement. "I needed that! I needed something to hold onto! I don't care that it wasn't real! It was all that I had!"

"You would rather stay driven by a lie? How can you hope to grow and change for the better if you hold on to fal-?"

" _Shut up_!" He shouted. How could one person make everything come undone? But she wasn't wrong. He knew the things she said were the truth. And sometimes nothing is more infuriating when true words are spoken. All you can do is deny them if they don't suit you; but that doesn't make you right. "I don't know what I am. I don't know what about me is real. My feelings, my heart, even this-this-." He wasn't sure how to name the whirlpool of emotions and unknown things surging through him like fire. How can you give so many a single name? "I'm not sure about anything. The one thing I thought I knew…you just destroyed. I don't know what to think. I don't know what to do. I don't know how to accept myself and move forward!"

He glared at her, desperately wishing she would say or do something else that would justify a fight. These feelings, real or imagined were agony. Letting them out through battle would be such a release if only given any excuse. But what did he _really_ hate about her being right? The fact that nobody likes to be proven wrong? Or that lies are easier to accept and carry than the burden of the truth?

She stood there for a moment, just looking at him. Wait, was _she_ crying? No, not yet at least but she was sad. That look, it wasn't all the way to pity but it was close. But what was the rest of it? What was she thinking? What did she mean to do? He still thought it would be easier and feel so much better if she just gave him some excuse to start a fight. But she didn't. What happened next was unexpected and bewildering. She didn't say anything. She stepped forward…and sang.

" _Pitiful creature of darkness…what kind of life have you known? God give me courage to show you…you are not a-lone_."

Rachel stood before him, and without another word, he found himself wrapped in a tender hug. There was no time to step back or pull away. He went very tense, like a deer freezing before they bolt. He'd never been this close to anyone before, let alone with such intimacy. He wanted to push away. He wanted to lash back somehow. She had no business being this close. He wanted to fight. But…there was something about this that he didn't want to stop. It made him angry, but he liked this. He didn't like that he admitted it to himself but he liked it. She was warm and more genuine than anyone he'd ever known. He'd never even felt anything genuine before, nothing positive anyway, but somehow he knew this is what it felt like. He felt embarrassed, but he didn't want her to let go. Slowly he let the tension melt away.

To Rachel, hugs were magical. A simple contact between two people that could mean so many things. She loved hugging; and she could often tell with precision when a person needed one and what kind of hug they needed. So the young Master did just that. She knew just what to do, the right kind of hug to give, the kind she was the most qualified to give: a sisterly hug. He stood very stiff for a while, it was like embracing a tree. But that soon changed. He didn't hug back but he did relax. Rachel also wasn't so blind to recognize when the strength to hold the pain in finally broke.

"It's ok," She whispered.

"I'm not weak," He made sure to confirm after the hot tears of pent up confusion and desperation began flowing like a flooded river breaching its banks. There was no way she wouldn't recognize the body language that came with weeping.

"I know you're not. You just need a good scaffold to hold you up until you can get it together. However long that takes."

"I mean I'm not crying!" But even as he said that the last word got choked in a sob.

"I know you're not," Rachel stroked his hair a little. "You're just…laughing on the wrong side of your face. That's all."

That didn't make any sense to him at all but he appreciated what she was trying to say.

He hated himself. He hated that he was crying. He hated that he couldn't keep it under control. He hated that she broke all he had. But he still didn't want her to let go. He didn't want this to end.

"Shhhh," Rachel had one arm across his back and the other slowly and rhythmically brushing his hair behind his ear with her fingers. "Shhhh, it's ok. There's nothing to be ashamed of. Take all the time you need."

This had to be real. Everything would fall apart if it wasn't and he knew that would destroy him. She really was warm and kind. From the beginning she hadn't been lying. She had pure intentions all along. He could see that…well, feel that now. How could someone care that much? Why would someone care that much? Part of him thought he didn't care; that it didn't matter but at the same time he knew he was wrong.

"I never get tired of hugs." Rachel assured him.

She wasn't going to let go until he said so, was she?

"Hugging won't help." He said with as much defiance as he could muster. He knew he'd broken but he still didn't want her to think of him as a weakling.

"Sure it will. Your heart's a wreck. I'll just have to hug you so tight that all the broken pieces stick back together."

Everything went blank. How could-? Why would-? What was this? She didn't know him. She didn't know what he'd done. She had no reason to care. Yet here she was, making her resolve clear that she stick it out until his heart, real or fake, was healed…until _he_ was healed. He'd never been grateful for anything before and the feeling was overwhelming. Maybe she really could give him what he needed. He was willing to try. If she was willing to help him, he was going to make it work too.

If asked, neither of them could tell you how long they were standing there. For the first time he felt calm and safe (and exhausted from crying but he wasn't about to admit it). All were feelings he wasn't used to but also, for the first time wasn't questioning whether or not they were real. If he wanted things to be real, he would have to stop believing everything about him was fake.

"Better?"

"A bit." He lied. It was more than a bit… _a lot_ more than a bit but he still had his pride. "Um,"

"Yeah?"

"It's just…what you said earlier, about me being my own self?" This felt really awkward to say but he had to say it. Still, it felt like pushing a boulder off his tongue.

"I remember, whatcha thinkin'?"

"Aiden."

"Hmm?"

"I think I like Aiden."

Rachel stepped back. She was smiling. It was a very different kind of smile that made her eyes glitter. She held out her hand to him. He stared at it, then at her. He knew what she was doing but he could scarcely believe it. The overwhelming feeling of gratitude crashed over him again. He wasn't sure what to do or say until she spoke first.

"Hi, I don't think we've met before, I'm Rachel. What's your name?"

His hand was shaking when he slipped it into hers. His mouth was very dry and his tongue felt like it was coated with cotton. But somehow that was ok.

"I…I'm Aiden."


	12. How Did It Go?

"So how did it go?"

"I think we broke down a major wall yesterday. It won't be a cakewalk by any means but at least we can move forward."

Riku came back to the castle after lunch the following day. He figured a bit of space away from them both would give them the best chance to connect. Thankfully it didn't take as long as he worried it might.

"It felt a lot like us when we first met." Rachel continued. "But don't tell Aiden I said that."

"Who?"

"That's the name he chose."

"Seriously?"

"Yes, _seriously_. Got a problem with it?"

"Just an interesting choice, that's all. One I can't help but feel you had a hand in."

"I assure you the choice was entirely his own."

"Right."

"Really! I said nothing! I only-."

"What's in the box?"

"What? This?"

"No, the box on the shelf behind you, of course the one in your hand!"

"Think of it like a portable barber's kit."

"You're cutting hair?"

"Yeah, his."

"Why are you giving him a haircut?"

"I have a quota to fill."

"Oh you're hilarious."

"Don't you get sarcastic with me!"

"You just did with me!"

"That's no excuse!"

"Back to the question, please."

"Well, he looks just like you did. Part of his problem is he feels tied, prisoned by something he had no control over. So we're changing that."

"Where is he now?"

"In one of the potion labs. I got him started with a beginners book yesterday. He's done several successfully already. So I guess that makes potion making his first interest. In a few days I'll see how well he can swallow the concept of a hobby."

Riku caught Rachel by the elbow as she walked. She stopped and turned.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong. It's just…you're really putting your heart into this even though you've barely started. It hasn't stopped amazing me how when something's broken, you don't stop until it's fixed; especially if it's someone who's hurting."

"Well, yeah, I guess. I just-."

Riku pulled Rachel close with his arms around her waist. "You saved me, you know that right? I've often wondered about my last encounters with Xehanort and Darkness if I didn't have what you've taught me to lean on. Now you're doing it all over again because it was important to me."

"C'mon, it's-I just-."

"Do you really not understand just how amazing you are?"

He loved that tiny blush and that sheepish smile. Riku ran his fingers through her hair, tucking a lock behind her ear, then, he tilted her chin up and kissed her.

Those several long seconds were the best. He could tell he surprised her; but in a good way. He'd been putting this off way too long. Waiting for the 'right time; had been a mistake. There was no reason to put this off. Any time would have been the right time. He just needed to find or make the perfect excuse. Oh yes, this was amazing, even better when Rachel got over her surprise and kissed back. What was intended as a gesture of gratitude and way to express how much he meant what he said ended up making the stars dance and the world stop spinning. If nothing else, he certainly got his point across.

* * *

"What is _he_ doing here?"

Was the first thing Riku heard when they entered the potion lab. He wasn't that surprised that was the greeting he got. The Replica, no, Aiden now, was finishing up pouring a sea-green colored potion into vials.

"He's welcome to visit me whenever he wants." Rachel answered simply. "That stuff turned gold for a few seconds after you added the dragonfly wings, right?"

"Yes." Aiden answered stiffly, keeping an evil eye on Riku.

Riku didn't know exactly what he and Rachel talked about but it clearly hadn't changed Aiden's opinion of him yet.

"So is that your second or third potion this morning?"

"Second," He answered, still with audible tension in his voice.

"Oh boy this is gonna be fun."

Riku could tell Rachel hadn't been expecting miracles but apparently hadn't planned this far ahead.

"It's ok," Riku said. "He doesn't have to like me."

"Best news I've heard today."

"No need to be snide!" Rachel scolded. "I'm suddenly feeling like I let a cobra in the ring with a mongoose. I can even hear the start bell ringing."

"Who's the cobra?" Riku asked.

"Seriously? What are you? Eight?"

"Just trying to diffuse the tension."

"What does that even mean?" Aiden asked a little rudely, interrupting them.

It would have been obvious to anyone Aiden had more respect for Rachel than he did for Riku. The rudeness was more in response to make Riku stop talking than directed at Rachel at all.

"The cobra and the mongoose are mortal enemies. Each is born with this psychopathic instinct to kill the other. Putting the two together is like putting a Mentos in a glass of diet coke. Let's hope there's nothing in the room that's worth much and you know how to get bloodstains out of a rug after the fight breaks out. Knowing how to hide a body wouldn't hurt either."

"Sounds about right. I like it."

"So what are you working on?" Riku asked, trying to be civil while simultaneously changing the subject.

"Wouldn't you like to know."

"Various Sleep and Dream draughts." Rachel answered for him. "So don't drink anything he offers you. And _you_ , don't be rude."

"They're pretty easy," Aiden said, looking back to Riku. "But I think Healing potions would be more useful. You never know when somebody will need one."

Riku heard the underlying insinuation but chose to ignore it.

"Ready?" Rachel cut in, directing the question at Aiden. Something she realized very quickly she'd have to do was to not correct or scold for every hostility. It would be like trying to construct a logical argument with a toddler. Too much energy expended and you'd still be right where you began. Aiden didn't like Riku and telling him over and over to keep the snideness to himself just wasn't going to happen.

"For what?" Aiden asked.

"For what I left to go get," She held up the box she'd been holding.

"Oh right,"

Aiden moved from his place where the potion had been set up to where Rachel was setting out the contents of the box. He sat down on a stool close to where she set up.

"Watch this." Rachel said. She rubbed her hands together and when she pulled her hands apart again she was holding what looked like a dishtowel. She twisted her wrists and with a sharp snap the tiny sheet thing was instantly the size of a full-sized blanket.

"What's that for?"

"Once I get rolling with the scissors you're head's going to start snowing. And it won't be from dandruff. You really want that all over you?" Rachel wrapped the sheet around his shoulders.

Aiden adjusted the sheet and Rachel started fiddling her fingers through his hair to get an idea of what she'd be doing. Then Aiden saw Riku was still there.

"Go away."

"What?"

"I don't want you to be here for this."

"I don't think I want to be here either. I'd be like watching myself getting a haircut."

Aiden narrowed his eyes at him but didn't say anything.

"You heard him," Rachel said. "Shoo."

Riku put his arms up as a sign of surrender and left the potion room.

"Ok," Rachel fussed with Aiden's hair again. "I've got this image stuck in my head as a kinda punk rock sort've style."

"I'm not sure what that means but go for it."

"There's a jar of stuff in this box that you smear over the comb and it makes hair grow so I can fix it if I mess up."

Rachel held up a pair of scissors and a buzzer and looking between them in a way that made Aiden nervous. She put them both down and picked up a wide toothed comb.

"Let's start with this."

"Are you sure you know what you're doing?"

"I'm an artist. I can do anything. But to answer your question, not really."


	13. Haircut

"Are you done yet?"

"Why are you still here!"

"You said not to watch, not that I had to leave."

Aiden scowled with annoyance to learn Riku hadn't just gotten lost when he told him to. Even Rachel had said to leave yet he'd apparently been waiting outside the door most of the time. Why couldn't he just buzz off and go away?

Rachel hadn't said much except an occasional mutter to herself as she worked. There was a period of time where she did nothing, just stood back with her arms crossed and stared, letting an idea come to her and talking herself through possible steps of what would work and what wouldn't.

"Me thinks I'm just about done."

"That's what you said five minutes ago."

"But then I got another idea. Turn. Yep, just about finished. I'm sure Riku was nervously grinding his teeth when he heard the _drzzzzzz_ of the buzzer."

"You sure that wasn't me?"

"I only said 'oops' once and I fixed it! Now it looks amazing."

"So I can see it now?"

"Just about." Rachel circled him a time or two, fussing in places with the comb, standing back, carefully observing from all angles before finally declaring her work to be finished.

"What's it like?" Came Riku's voice.

"None of your business."

"He's gonna see it eventually. And there's no excuse for rudeness." Rachel said. "You can take that off now. I'll find a mirror."

"How do I do that without it all falling off?"

"The sheet is to protect your clothes, not the floor. And it's stone, easy to sweep. Besides, it's your hair, you clean it up. Ok, here. What'd you think!"

After Aiden slid off the sheet, he first put a hand to each side of his head. That felt weird. And that fact in itself was weird. Of course he looked exactly like Riku so he it wasn't like he'd ever given his appearance much thought before. But that was about to change and he was about to find out by how much. Then of course came the big reveal when he took the mirror Rachel had taken from a shelf.

Aiden stared at the image. It really is amazing how many things can go through a mind all at once. First of all, the longer he looked the more he liked it. She'd used the buzzer on the left side of his head. From just above his temple, down, and almost to the back of his head had been cut short to not quite an inch. The hair on the back of his head had been cut to about half its starting length. The rest is where it got interesting. Rachel had used that jelly hair-growth whatever stuff just above where the buzz-cut ended and combed it over to the right side of his head; making it long enough to lay over on its own and not stick up all funny as short hairs tend to. At first the comb-over made him think back to Zexion…only he didn't really have bangs, per se, and they weren't so stupidly long and he could still see clearly out of both eyes.

"So how'd I do?" Rachel asked.

"I…I don't know what to say. This is amazing."

"He likes it, that's all I need to hear." She said, doing a little victorious 'raise the roof' dance. "You just be sure to let me take a look at it again after your first shower. Little things always show up when you wash your hair after a cut that might need fixing later.

"How'd it turn out?" Came Riku's voice again.

"I think I just found my retirement hobby when I finally hang up my Keyblade."

"Can I come in?"

"No."

"Yes he can. He'll see it sooner or later anyway."

And of course for Riku the dramatic change was a bit startling as well. He knew he and Aiden were not the same person but the similarities of appearance were hard to ignore sometimes. At that moment he could still see himself at sixteen…only with a hairstyle he could never imagine getting for himself _**ever**_.

"So…what exactly inspired _this_?" Riku wasn't sure what to say without risking sounding rude. He also needed a reason to look at Rachel. Looking at Aiden for too long often brought about a look that Riku would eventually mentally dub The Narrow Eyes of Death glare.

"I, uh…I kinda got the inspiration from Elliot's new haircut."

"The werewolf brother?" Riku remembered the twins from her story world.

"Ye-e-e-ah." Rachel said slowly. "His buzz-cut side is a lot shorter and he's got three strips cut down to the skin across his head that look like they were made by claw marks."

"This I need to see. What does Killian think?"

"He won't admit it but I think Killian actually _did_ it. He scurried around the question when I asked if this happened after a night on the town. And I distinctively felt this air like it was supposed to be a prank for his own amusement that his brother ended up liking."

"Epic fail on his part then?"

"Oh yeah. Totally screwed up in reverse."

Aiden wasn't really interested in whoever Elliot or Killian were so he ignored most of the conversation to look himself over again in the mirror. Facially, he of course still looked like Riku. Without the help of a very powerful (and easy to mess up) potion or spell nothing would change that. But now he had something all his own. A look. A look _he_ decided on. A decision that had been suggested to him but no one else tried to make it for him. It felt good to have the only say in something. Even if it was about something as simple as hair.


	14. First Journal

_I want to start off by saying this was Rachel's idea. She gave me this journal this morning. She said to write thoughts and feelings and events of the day in it. Fancy way of not calling it a diary in my opinion. She said this would be just for me and I can put in it whatever I want because no one else will ever read it. That's still a very new feeling for me. I've never had anything that was private before._

 _Rachel's on board completely to help me find out who I really am. I've been wondering if this is what respect feels like. She gave me a haircut yesterday so now I look less like the real thing. Thank goodness for that. She helped me figure out my new name and that I'm pretty good at potion making. But there's still a lot about her I haven't figured out. Her attitude can jump from one extreme to the next sometimes. Friendly, then demanding respect. Kind then she summons a creature of Darkness. I still haven't figured that one out yet but I'm not sure how to ask about it. Even the real thing was surprised when she called that shadow monster. I hate it that he's around so much. I hate it that Rachel was spot on about how I feel about it._

 _But to be honest I'm not really sure how I feel about anything. in quiet moments like this I have a hard time sorting things out. Real or not, I know my heart's been rewritten and broken…but I'm not sure how that reflects on what I feel. Do I really feel what I think I'm feeling? Or am I just subconsciously reacting to emotions as I recognize them? I'm sure…or at least I hope Rachel will know. Even if she doesn't, it's amazing how she can speak with authority to make what she's saying sound unquestionably true. Then she follows up by baby-talking her cat._ I am going to figure her out.

 _I can't believe it's only been a few days._

 _I've been trying not to think about it because it makes this overwhelming feeling in my head and I don't like it. But I can't stop thinking about it. Castle Oblivion, the Organization…Namine…Sora and the real thing. How am I supposed to make sense of the two extremes?_

 _I'm not going back. I know that. Whether by choice or magic I'm not going back to that place or that time. I want to trust Rachel…maybe even tolerate the real thing. Even if she speaks the truth that I don't want to hear she makes sense. I know I need it. Yet I think back to that other life and all the untrustworthy, manipulative people in it. I start feeling confused. I don't know why anyone would go through all this trouble to lure me into anything. Vexen and the other Nobody's didn't care of me. I was just a pawn to make their game more interesting. No one cared. I didn't mean anything to anyone. So why would anyone try to manipulate me again? What kind of end game could anyone be trying to accomplish with me? I don't want that to be true. But I cant shake this seed of doubt. But I don't want to feel that. I really do want this to be real. I don't know what trust feels like. I want to believe…but I'm also scared._


	15. The Song Changed

"Why are you following me?"

"Yeah, why are _you_ here?"

"She's my girlfriend and I have visiting rights."

"This is not a three-person job."

Rachel was under the impression her scavenger hunt through one of the castle cellars for spell regents would be uneventful and finished before she got hungry for breakfast. But Riku had come by early and Aiden had taken to tailing her like a puppy. He said it was because he didn't have anything better to do, but Rachel knew he'd been growing attached to her. Of course Riku and Aiden together often devolved into two alley cats fighting. Riku never initiated any hostility but eventually the attitude wore him down and they both got snippy with each other.

Rachel had a basket in one hand and a very specific list as to where to find all she needed. "Behind you, two shelves up in the bowl that looks like a pumpkin."

"Ok. Hey! I was getting that!" Aiden snapped at Riku. He was reaching for what Rachel indicated but Riku grabbed it first.

"I'm taller. Whoa," Riku said looking at the label on the bowl. " _How_ do you say that?"

"People usually call it Sisi powder. Because nine syllables are hard to wrap your tongue around."

"Sissy powder, guess it was a good thing you grabbed it first. Nothing can rub off to make it worse."

"Keep talking and I'll make sure you don't get any taller… _ever_."

Rachel put a pinch of the powder in a vial in the basket and tried to ignore the two bickering. Unlike when she spat back and forth with Riku, this wasn't meant to be fun with hollow insults and silly name calling. And it was starting to get irritating. They didn't have to like each other, but Aiden went out of his way sometimes to make it clear how he felt about Riku (personally she thought it was out of sheer spite than actual dislike). From living with a little brother her whole life, Rachel did have an edge on tuning out most of the squabbling.

"…well that really opens my mind, doesn't it?" Aiden had continued sarcastically.

"Yeah, and all the butterflies flew out."

And there were times the quips were funny.

"You know what! You really-!"

"ENOUGH!"

But everybody has their limits to how much Annoying they're willing to put up with. Both boys jumped, startled that she'd shouted.

"If you're going to help me, fine. If you need to spitter at each other, come back when you've got it out of your system. Geesh! I'm really startin' think I should just sit back and let you two duke it out once and for all _._ Only when I do I'll first turn you into mudskippers so you can pummel each other by kissing aggressively!"

She stomped past them for the next thing on her list. Riku immediately stopped talking. Aiden looked at him.

"You let her corner you like that?"

"I know what she's capable of."

"She wouldn't really do anything like that, would she?"

"Yes."

Aiden didn't say anything. The rest of the regent hunt was tense and mostly quiet. Neither Riku or Aiden wanted to leave even though they really weren't needed. But they were also careful about what they said and did. After all, mudskippers were slimy and ugly.

"Next shelf on the right. Starts with an N, ends with a G."

"This stuff-? Gah!" Aiden quickly dropped the jar and pushed it back on the shelf.

"What!"

"Something in that just moved!"

"That shouldn't be happening, it says here the stuff is supposed to be a jell."

"I'm telling you, it moved." Aiden prodded the jar. Sure enough, something shifted within far more than it would just by touching the container. It was the color of canned beets but looked like the cross between a leech and a tapeworm. "I'm not getting that out of there."

"Wait a second," Rachel looked in closer. "That can't be right."

"You said look for…oh. The thing next to it is also an N and a G and looks like a gel."

"Why would someone put two things so close to each other in name side by side? If we'd been paying a little less attention we'd've grabbed the wrong thing."

Aiden held the correct jar while Rachel got a little scoop and small container for the amount she needed. He opened the jar and all their eyes started to burn and water. The gel had a very, very pungent smell of fresh cracked pepper. Rachel scooped out what she needed and Aiden snapped the lid back on quickly.

"I'm awake." Riku said, rubbing his eyes.

"Dang that burns."

"I could taste it by breathing... _through my nose_!"

The rest of the search was uneventful with the exception of a yellow powder that made them all dizzy and at one point the boys heard Rachel mutter something about feeling like a mama duck. The basket was getting full so Rachel put the boys to use as carriers for what wouldn't fit. At last the list was finished. Getting out of the maze of shelves was interesting but they found their way to the door again.

Suddenly Rachel gasped and came to a sharp halt. With no warning, Riku walked right into her, shortly followed by Aiden bumping into him.

"What was that for?" Aiden asked sharply. "I almost dropped this!"

Rachel whipped around and was positively beaming at Riku. It was quite a one-eighty from the irritated atmosphere she'd had a few minutes ago.

"I can't believe it!" She squeaked.

"I might if you tell me what 'it' is."

She had her hands over her mouth, excited. After a few stuttering tries to spit out her thought, she finally managed to blurt, "Your song's changed!"

Riku blinked. "My-? Oh!"

Rachel held her hands together in front of her face and made dozen of tiny claps, her eyes glittered.

" _So_?" Riku asked expectantly. "Don't leave me guessing!"

" _Hello_! As the only one here who has no idea what's going on, somebody mind explaining?"

"I thought I was hearing something different for a while but it was like a remix of a familiar song. But now I'm positive the whole thing has changed! I knew it was going to. I should have been listening harder. Now I can tell it's been different for a while. Oh! Just what I get for not paying closer attention!"

"Explanation!" Aiden demanded.

Rachel recapped the familiar tune about Heart Songs. In addition to the balance of Dark and Light, every heart sings its own special song. All sorts of things contribute to said song. Rachel could pretty accurately translate the song of the heart. Hearts were complicated and sometimes mere mortal words could not properly do justice to what the heart was trying to say. Still, Rachel took pride in her gift. Not only were Heart Songs unique, they could also change. People could change, and when they did, so did the song. The first time they met, Rachel sang Riku's Heart Song. It spoke of the deepest regret and longing to atone for wrongs that appalled and frightened him. But judging by how widely she was smiling, she already had an idea of how the new song went.

"Well?" Riku said with a what-are-you-waiting-for tone. "Go on!"

Rachel put her basket down and snuggled close to him, her ear flat against his chest. After listening for a second she stepped back and called her Keyblade. With a flick of her wrist, Moonlit Majesty became Ocean Song. Rachel lightly ran a finger across the points of the crystal star. The gem lit up and lights of music started running down the musical lines along the shaft. So she sang,

" _Power…was all I desired. But all that grew inside me was a darkness I acquired._

 _When I began to fall, and I lost the path ahead, that's when your friendship found me and it lifted me instead._

 _Like a phoenix burnin' bright in the sky, there's another side to me you can't deny._

 _I may not know what the future holds but hear me when I say_

 _That my past does not define me, 'cause by past is not today_!"

When she finished, Rachel did one of her cutesy claps and hugged Riku. He smiled and hugged her back, even lifted her a little and spun her once.

"I knew it would change." Rachel said quietly in his ear.

"Only because of you." Riku replied.

They snuggled for a bit longer, a warm, happy glow shining around them. When they let go, they exchanged a quick kiss. Rachel picked up her basket and made to skip-to-my-Lou to the exit.

"So…does that mean I have a song too?" Aiden said, trying not to watch the two of them being intimate.

"I'd think so." Rachel said. She stopped. "Here." She put her basket down again and placed a hand on either side of Aiden's head. Eyes closed, she listened.

But when she opened them again, her expression was…sad? That was a very rapid one-eighty from a few seconds ago. After hearing Riku's song she was so happy for him she was walking on air. But now…

"Rachel?" Riku said. "What is it?"

"I don't have a song, do I?" Aiden asked, resigned. Was his worry this whole time about his heart being a sham, a fake really true? If he didn't have a song, then that would mean he was right.

"Oh…you do. It's just…"

"What is it?"

"I don't know if you should hear it."

"Why?"

"It's just…" She looked sad again. "That can't really be how you see yourself…is it?"

Aiden looked at her quizzically, no idea what she meant but growing uneasy by how she sounded.

"Riku, could you give us a second?"

He didn't say anything. He only nodded. Riku took her basket to the door for her and waited.

"What is it?" Aiden asked, his uneasiness heightening.

"I think you should wait."

"Why?"

"Your heart is still young and uncertain. I'm just thinking…if you hear what it is saying now, I'm afraid it might hold you back from who you can become. I just…just remember today doesn't change the potential for tomorrow."

"I want to hear it." He said simply, even though he was feeling a bit nervous about it.

"Okay," So she sang it.

" _Child of the wilderness, born into emptiness. Learn to be lonely. Learn to find your way in darkness_

 _Who will be there for you? Comfort and care for you? Learn to be lonely. Learn to be your one companion_

 _Never dream out in the world there are arms to hold you. You've always known your heart was on its own_

 _So laugh in your loneliness, Child of the Wilderness. Learn to be lonely. Learn how to love life that is lived alone."_

It was true. And that was terrifying. He longed so terribly to know if he had a real heart. Now he knew and he now he longed for it to be silent. He didn't know how he came into being. He knew he wasn't born, but that his existence began in emptiness. He was alone from the very beginning. Had his heart truly resigned that loneliness was all it was ever going to know? That he would be happier accepting no one would ever care about him? Back at Castle Oblivion Aiden would have been the first to agree. But that was then. For him, that dark past was such a short time away but so much had happened since then.

It was a scary feeling, but Aiden was getting comfortable calling this castle home. He liked a soft bed. He didn't even mind being woken up by Tatania once in a while (even though he still had to figure out how she could get in). Potion making was fun; yes _fun_. Slowly but surely he was growing into himself. He was learning what he liked. He liked his new look. Rachel had shown him what a real friend looks like and he didn't want that to go away. And even if subject to unspeakable torture Aiden would never admit to Riku that he appreciated all he risked in bringing him into this time and put up with ever since.

"That is going to change." Aiden vowed, struggling to keep his voice steady. The only good that came out of it was absolute confirmation he had a real heart that was free to sing. But he didn't like what it was saying.

"I know it will." Rachel said gently. She lifted her arms a little. "Do you need one?"

Aiden looked down a little; trying to give a look that a guy asking for a feel-better hug was undignified. Yet at the same time he nodded slightly. So he let her hug him.

So he did, truly have a heart. No questions anymore. And if it could sing, then it had to be real. But it was a song he hated. That was going to change. It had to. He would make sure of it.


	16. Braving the Greenhouse

"So what's all this?"

"On a secret mission."

"Doing what?"

"Exploration through the deepest darkest jungles, risking life and limb for special floral delights that can only be found right in the heart of Danger."

"We're going to a greenhouse." Aiden cut in. "And by 'we' I mean me and her."

"Oh no, he's here because I called him over. This needs three pairs of hands."

"What exactly are we doing?" Riku asked.

"The greenhouses here are full of amazing exotic plants with magical properties. I've started a new potion book that requires a lot of new ingredients that I can only get from those plants. So," She pulled out a piece of paper. "Here's a list of all I need, what it looks like and where to find it!"

"As well as how to keep yourself safe from it." Aiden added, noting the satchels she was packing had items like clipping shears, burn heals and thick leather gloves.

"There is that unfortunate drawback. Some of these plants are not friendly. That's why I brought these." There were also armguards and a helmet thing that looked like the cross between a motorcycle helmet and a welding mask.

"We are coming out of this _alive_ right?" Riku asked, inspecting some of the gear.

"So long as our reflexes are quick and keep our heads on a swivel we should be fine."

 _Later_

On the East side of the training castle, just outside the training hall were a series of lovely courtyards and gardens. Those areas were where Fantasia the Uniglow spent most of her time. Just beyond that were the greenhouses. Plants from all over the worlds had been collected over the centuries and flourished there. Some plants were rumored to actually come from other dimensions. Rachel had been looking through her books for how exactly interdimensional travel was possible but so far found nothing. Of course after splitting a hole in time to bring Aiden through she wasn't that eager to find ways of ripping through the fabric of reality in order to find another plane of existence anymore. Still thinking about what Master Yen Sid's reaction would be if he knew about the Time Window made her stomach churn.

From the outside the greenhouses didn't really look all that special. Each was built the same, made of paned glass and about three times as long as it was wide. The outer glass was clean but all the foliage within made it impossible to see inside. There were six in all. The higher the number the more interesting (and potentially dangerous) the plants became. Which didn't make any sense. Why put _all_ the dangerous stuff in one place? The idea was to be able to _get_ to the plants, right?

"Ok, Greenhouse One." Rachel got out her list and went inside.

Riku and Aiden followed. Only upon entering they both came to an immediate halt. Something had changed. The greenhouse was only about ten feet wide and fifteen feet tall. But when they went inside it was at least double that size. They stepped out and in a few times but it was still weird. Aiden went outside while Riku was inside. Riku went to the far corner of the greenhouse. Aiden did the same. He could see Riku's shadow from the other side of the glass. Riku knocked on the glass. Aiden did the same. It looked like they were only inches apart. But when Aiden ran back to the door and looked inside, Riku was at least double the distance away on the inside than the outside.

"You two will be doing that all day so stop it."

It was hard to stop trying to figure out how the spacial difference from the inside to the outside worked. But the plants of the greenhouse soon distracted them. Greenhouse One housed mild plants. But that didn't mean they weren't interesting. Snapdragons actually had teeth and didn't like being sniffed. Tulips tried to kiss you if you got close. Apoca-lips flowers squeaked how the end was nigh. They stopped to listen to the bluebells put on a mini concert with their chimes. Rachel collected leaves, petals, roots, mosses and pollen from the various plants. When she got all she needed, they moved on to the next greenhouses.

And as they progressed the more challenging the plants became. Riku ducked just in time to miss being hit by barbs shot by a purple flower. Rachel collected those too. Turns out the venom could knock someone out cold for hours. They were careful to avoid a yellow fern that released pollen to make you dizzy and nauseous. Aiden was too late to get away from a flower that looked like a vine-y tulip with feathery leaves. It coughed in his face then snickered about it. Too bad for him its pollen was a mild hallucinogenic.

"You ok?" Riku asked.

Aiden sneezed. "I'm fine!" He snapped. Then he stopped and looked at Riku strangely. Where did that purple spotted monkey on his shoulder come from? Aiden blinked several times, trying to figure out if he really was seeing what he thought he was seeing. Every time he blinked the monkey changed from having spots to stripes and back again. Riku didn't appear to notice. Aiden was about to ask Rachel if she could see it too but she had dozen tiny songbirds with glittery rainbow feathers fluttering and singing around her. She didn't act like she noticed them either. It was weird seeing something no one else could so he kept it to himself. Good thing the effect was not long lasting.

"Okay, last one." Rachel said as they approached the final greenhouse.

"Good thing too!" Aiden said, irritated. "Ow! Easy!"

"Don't be a wimp." Riku told him. He had his gloves on and was pulling out enormous cockleburs off Aiden's back that he couldn't reach by himself. Riku didn't come out unscathed either. He'd worn the helmet but the thorny vine that didn't like being touched hit him so hard it actually scratched the glass. "You're sure it's in the right place right?"

"Yeah, that last one was as disaster." Aiden said rudely.

They could have skipped Greenhouse Five altogether but Rachel misread the item on her list and they risked life and limb trying to find something that wasn't there.

"I said I was sorry! If it makes you feel better, there's only one thing in here that we need."

"What's the worst thing that's in there?" Riku wanted to know.

"Um…"

"The thing you're after, isn't it?"

"Actually no. But it comes in a close second."

Riku slipped the arm guards over the thick leather gloves and adjusted the helmet. No doubt they'd need every bit of protected they could get.

And they did.

Everything seemed to have a mind of its own. Vines got uncomfortably curious about them, threatening to snake their way around any part of anyone that got too close or stood still too long. It didn't help this greenhouse was the size of a small biosphere and dark with so much growth. Many plants were known for their components to either be toxic or be key ingredients in poisons and antidotes. Others had powerful hallucinogenic properties. Some could send you on fluffy pink clouds dancing the can-can with leprechauns for days or put you in such a state you could beat your best friend to death while under the impression you were fluffing a stubborn pillow. And most everything had its ways of fighting back. The more they saw, the more they were glad these were not native plants.

"Okay!" Rachel gasped. They just made it by a cauldron like plant that filled itself up with vile ooze that smelled like a combination of skunk, decaying flesh and a night after eating too many beans. "Almost there!"

"It better be!" Aiden fought hard to keep himself from gagging.

"Is that it?" Riku panted. He pointed through the shrubs to what was obviously a door.

"Finally!" Aiden exclaimed, straightening up.

"No!" Rachel said. "We're not going in there!"

"But wouldn't this special plant be in a special place? Like behind a door?" Riku asked.

"Not at all. That's," She checked her notes and greenhouse map again. "Eeyugck. Yep, that's the one. That's the absolute worst thing in this greenhouse."

"What is it?" Aiden walked up to the door and looked through the glass. The room inside was small with only a single large plant inside. It actually looked quite nice, plain and safe. He knocked on the glass and it didn't move. It had no trunk, bark or hanging leaves. Its colors were just drab greens. It looked like an aloe plant only a lot bigger. There were thick thorns lining the edges of the long, thin pads. "Doesn't look like much."

"Don't let looks deceive you. Ah, here it is." Rachel thumbed through her notes again. "The magic of this place is why it's so big. On its home world they don't even get half that size. The surface of the plant is very fragile and can be punctured at the slightest touch."

"And what makes it bad?" Riku asked confused.

"Oh yes. In its native home, its local name is the, I think you say it, Ameeriad Onaglothshin."

"That's a mouthful." Aiden said.

"Which translates to?"

"'The One Who Melts Flesh for Pleasure'."

The boys stared at her for a minute.

Aiden stepped back from the door. "This thing _eats_ people?"

"No, the juicy pulp it's filled with is the purest and most powerful organic acid known in any known universe. It breaks easily and dissolves flesh and bone like putting a stick of butter in the microwave."

Riku felt sick. "That would be an awful way to die."

"Now you know why it's kept locked away. My book said it was put in there after so many experiments to utilize it failed. It would eat through even magically forged and infused metals eventually. Only the skin of the plant itself can contain it. It's been in that room ever since."

"And you said what you were after was the _second_ most dangerous thing in here." Aiden reminded, not at all comforted with the idea.

"At least what we came in here for won't turn us into pudding. I actually think I see it over there beyond those red flowers. Just make sure not-."

"To touch anything, _we know_."

The mundane appearance of what was supposedly the second most dreadful plant in the greenhouse caught them by surprise. It was a tree. In appearance, it possessed only a few differences from the common white oak. This was only about a fourth of the size though. It stood in its own little clearing. Just looking at it a passerby might wonder what it wasn't casting shade in a play park. In the center was a hole about the size of a dinner plate, like the kind kids draw on their trees for school. But this was too smooth to have been chiseled out by a squirrel or hammered away at by a woodpecker. The tree grew that way.

"This is it?" Aiden immediately realized how foolish his question of disbelief was. Only minutes ago he had said essentially the same thing about The One Who Melts Flesh for Pleasure.

"Yep. Okay, Riku, you're taking point on this one."

"I don't remember drawing the short straw."

"You're the tallest. What I need is in that hole."

"Only for you."

The tree did nothing as they approached. When Rachel started pulling every bit of protective gear out of her pack that she had, the boys did the same.

"Be sure as little skin is showing as possible."

"Dare I ask what this one is called?" Aiden asked.

"This is commonly known as the Razor Itch Oak. The leaf edges are sharp as well as coated with an oil like poison ivy."

"Remind me why we agreed to help you?"

That was indeed a valid question Riku and Aiden were asking themselves as they were set to work collecting the valuable seed pods the tree kept within the knot in its trunk. The concept was like the X games version of Operation. You could easily walk away without a scratch if you could grab the seed pod without touching any other part of the tree. The pods were stacked within the hole like eggs, therefore the tree couldn't feel a pod being taken. But if you touched the tree itself, it would immediately jump to the defense.

The first round went ok. Riku was able to reach in and grab several seed pods and bring them out again with no problem. The pods were only about the size of small marbles so he could get one hand around many at once. Feeling more confident that all he had to do was proceed at a very slow and steady pace, Riku was willing to try again even though Rachel now had plenty.

But apparently Karma considers double-dipping boorish and decided to do something about it.

Riku only misjudged depth and distance by a micro hair. As he reached in, his elbow brushed the edge of the hole. If bumped into anyone the same way Riku touched the tree, no one would ever have been the wiser that contact of any kind had been made.

The effect was immediate. Riku barely had time to fully process how much trouble he was in before the hole clamped shut around his arm. Then things got crazy. Quickly Rachel and Aiden tried to pry the hole back open so Riku could get his arm out. It was like fighting a really, _really_ good arm-wrestler. Of course this was no picnic for Riku either.

Alerted to the strangers, the tree raised its branches and started swinging wildly. As you might imagine there were numerous 'Ow's!' as the tree snapped and whipped its long branches. They couldn't just run because Riku was still stuck. And the tree didn't want to let go. They didn't dare try magic or force to make it release its grip. Yes, that might work. But it also might make the tree hold on tighter or intensify its attack.

 _Later…._

"Ow! I can do this myself you know."

"I know. But I want to do it for you so you're going to shut up and let me."

The fight against the Razor Itch Oak left more than a few marks. Everyone had their fair share of bright red marks on their backs, arms and necks from getting whipped by the branches. While they stung terribly, the injury wasn't anything that couldn't easily be healed. The most fortune they all had through the entire experience was that none of the leaves cut through their clothes. There would have been the unbearable, torturous itching if it had.

Riku was irritated he hadn't been able to get a single pod for his trouble. Not to mention his arm _really_ hurt. The second Rachel and Aiden pried the tree open, Riku had to pull out as fast as he could, letting go of the handful of seeds in the process. If he hadn't, his fist would have been too big to fit through the gap and the tree would have just clamped on his wrist.

"I got this. I'll be fine if you just stop-ah! Ow! Touching it!"

Back at the Atrium Rachel had been helping him get off the protective layers from tree wrangling to get a better look at his injury.

"I'm really happy you tried." Rachel helped him get his vest off to see his arm clearly. "Yikes. Sit tight, I have just the thing!" She scampered off to find something on one of the shelves.

Riku looked at it and touched it gently. Even the tiniest contact hurt. The tree left a nasty dark red ring around his upper arm about two inches wide. That was going to look really ugly when it started bruising. That squeezing hadn't damaged bone, had it? It certainly felt like it might have.

"This will help." Rachel said as she came back. In her hand she had a jar of opaque yellow paste stuff. When opened they both recoiled. It smelled like the worlds' most potent batch of Vics vapo-rub if it had been left to ferment for a while. "Clears the sinuses too. Arm please."

"I think I'll be better off with natural healing. Ow! Easy with the touching!"

"Lift your arm a little higher. And don't be such a crybaby." Rachel scooped up a glob of the whatever it was called on her finger.

"I'm really not in the mood for-ah! Did you just get that stuff out of the freezer?"

It felt like getting rubbed down with an iceberg. But shortly after it was applied, it started feeling very hot, like soothing shower hot. Rachel gently applied a generous amount all around his arm. Her touch was mild. He liked that. The stuff smelled bad and it felt strange once applied but her tender touch was all Riku really focused on. He never stopped being amazed by how gentle she was. Riku had seen her fight many times, fought her himself to witness firsthand how strong a warrior she was. Yet at times like this it was hard to believe those hands ever picked up a weapon any more lethal than a butter knife.

Riku's thoughts were interrupted when he took another look at his arm. After sitting for a moment, the salve was working its wonders. The color of his skin was changing, going through the full healing process for bruising. What would have taken days was now reduced to only a few minutes.

"How's that?" Rachel asked, finding a cloth to clean up the rest of the salve.

"A little tender," No kidding. There was no sign at all of a bruise or injury except the skin was light pink but would fade back to its normal color within the hour. "That stuff is amazing."

"Maybe this will fix it completely." Rachel leaned over and kissed his arm. "All better?"

"Yeah, but this is still a little sore." Riku touched a spot on his shoulder. Rachel kissed that too. "This doesn't feel that good either." He rubbed a long his jaw. So she kissed that as well.

"There. All fixed."


	17. Second Journal

_Those two make me sick sometimes. Why are they always touching and lovey dovey all the time? Do they really need to do all that snuggling? It's sickening to watch with that overload of cutesy. Not exactly courteous to me either._

 _I helped Rachel get some things from the castle greenhouses. The real thing was there too. The last thing we got was from a tree that fought back. I went to change my clothes to make sure the oil of the leaves didn't get me. When I came back I found the two of them cuddling and kissing. I know they're_ together _but it still makes my insides twist to see them like that. So smiley, so snuggly, so_ dumb _! At least they don't baby talk each other. I'd sooner puncture my own eardrum with a pencil before putting up with listening to that._

 _Don't get me wrong, I appreciate what Rachel's doing for me. This has got to be what friendship feels like. I like that. I'm glad I get to feel that._

 _Then I see the way she is with the real thing. I don't know why it bothers me to see them together sometimes. Is that jealousy? I guess that would be about right. I've held onto a fragment of jealously against him almost from the beginning. At first I thought he was a spineless weakling who was afraid of the Dark. Well that belief never completely went away. But then I was given his memories to make Sora believe I was the real thing. Naminé gave me back a piece of myself. I guess she was trying to make up for what she'd done. But that only made me want a real self. I hated I still had memories that didn't belong to me. I started hating the real thing for them too. I think that was when the jealousy began. I could see him fighting on a beach with a toy sword. Running a race. Collecting logs for a raft. Those memories…it wasn't him in them, but it wasn't me either. Thinking about them only left me with a terrible, hollow feeling. There was no emotion connected to those memories. It was just empty. Some memories were strong enough to reflect the feelings felt at the time. Those were even worse. I could remember sadness, joy or fear but I couldn't actually feel them. Torture. That's the only word I can think of._

 _Axel tried to help. Although, looking back I think he just wanted Zexion out of the way without lifting a finger himself. The new powers felt incredible. But that didn't stop the hollow feeling that was making me sick. I hated the desperate feelings. All the things I could see, memories that weren't mine, that weren't me. The smiles and laughter that weren't meant for me or made because of something I said or did. All the things I didn't have and couldn't be._

 _And now I see him with Rachel. She's warm and kind and doesn't judge. And she's his. One more thing of his I can see but never have. I'm not saying that I want_ her _…but it would be nice to have something of my own that's special. Something that's mine and mine alone. Maybe even someone. Something others can look at and feel jealous that it's mine. Something that others can watch me enjoy and laugh and smile about but can never really feel how I feel about it and nothing I have to share if I don't want to._


	18. Night Chats

Several days passed since the ingredient collection in the greenhouses. Rachel went back to the Tower a few times after completing a potion or spell that was made with the plant materials they had gathered. As far as Rachel or Riku could tell, either Master Yen Sid was unaware of what they had done with the time spell or he was really good at not letting on what all he knew.

Aiden enjoyed having free reign of the training castle. Sometimes that meant getting lost down the endless passages or flip a switch and wind up behind a wall before realizing you did anything wrong. The library was a quick favorite. The books weren't just for spells and the like. Stories, novels, poems, epics, ballads and more had been collected by wizards throughout the years from all sorts of places. Aiden liked the feeling of the hours slipping away while indulging in a good book. Even better was not finding anything familiar in any of the books. That meant Riku wasn't familiar with the stories or information in any of them. That meant the knowledge he was obtaining from the books was his and his alone. He liked that.

In the evenings after Riku left for the Tower, Aiden and Rachel often sat in the kitchen for a midnight snack and conversation by the fireplace before bed. Tatania took to sitting very close to Aiden a lot. She seemed to think someone new meant a personal soul slave for herself. If he went so long without giving her a scratch or a rub, the Tower Cat would give him the most ugly look to let him know the queen was displeased.

"You couldn't've given any better heads up than that?"

"I said I was sorry! The bottle wasn't supposed to tip over! Besides, it'll be gone by morning."

"It better be."

Due to a minor but perfectly innocent accident in the potions lab earlier, Aiden's left hand to mid-forearm looked like it belonged to a werewolf. A vial had slipped into a potion Rachel was working on. Only the ingredients were not meant to mix and it started bubbling fiercely, splashing a bit on Aiden before he could get away. It looked kinda cool but he didn't want to be stuck with it.

"If you don't mind me asking, what was Castle Oblivion like?" Rachel asked. She'd put down one of her journals to give all her attention to nibbling off the brownie plate and talking.

"Very white."

"Marble?"

"I have no idea. Everything was very bare. Then again, I don't think it was exactly meant for comfort."

"Is it still there?"

"I think so. Unless it vanished or was destroyed after the Nobodies left. Why? Why would you want to go there?"

"Just asking. Riku told me a lot about it. But that was mostly the struggle to get through all the floors and challenges."

"If it does still stand, you can get him to take you through it. I'll never go back to that place."

"No need to sound like that. No one said you had to."

"Sorry. That was where…I started. I don't like thinking about it."

"I shouldn't have brought it up. I was just curious. Guess I could always ask Lea."

"Who's Lea?"

"Oh, right. You'd know him better as Axel."

Aiden went very still. "He's still…"

"Like I said a while ago, several of the Nobodies got their hearts back. He was one of them. Lea is his real name. I've got a seriously complicated love-hate relationship going on with him."

Aiden looked at her strangely. "What?"

"Ongoing prank war and fluent sarcasm. He dishes it out pretty well but I _will_ prove that I'm better."

"Wait…so he's back at the Tower?"

"Everybody is. Riku of course, but also my brother, Lea, Sora and Kairi. The Keyblade accepted him as a Wielder."

Now there was a thought that made his head spin. It was like trying to fit a square peg into a circle slot. " _ **He**_ got a Keyblade?"

"Yep. Lea and Kairi are training to be Keyblade Masters."

Aiden took a second to chew on the concept before trying to swallow it. "Does he…remember before? When he was at Castle Oblivion?"

"Does he remember being Axel? Yeah. He doesn't talk about it much though. I'm under the impression there was plenty he did he's not proud of."

"So…there's no one else I could talk to about back then."

"That would certainly be a difficult conversation. It's been a lot longer time for him than it has for you."

"Wouldn't he keep the secret about the time spell?"

"I'm sure he would, but I don't think we should take any risks yet."

"Same goes for Sora too, I guess. What?" Aiden noticed immediately Rachel had gotten uncomfortable for some reason. "What's wrong?"

"I'm sorry, you didn't know."

"Know what?"

"Sora chose to forget all the events in Castle Oblivion in order to regain all his true memories that Naminé unchained."

Aiden stared at her.

"Riku doesn't know any more than what Naminé told him, but it was Sora's choice to forget it all. Riku stressed to me never to bring it up to him. I agree that would bring up questions that Riku couldn't answer because he wasn't there. And it wouldn't be fair to Lea either. Riku doesn't want Sora to feel like there's a piece of his life missing and a hole of unanswered or difficult questions even though it was Sora's choice to forget."

"What about Naminé?" Aiden had a very heavy sinking feeling in his stomach at the way Rachel shifted in her chair and turned her gaze away from him. "What happened to Naminé?" Aiden asked, worry prickling in his gut.

"Nothing bad," Rachel clarified first. "Turns out, Naminé was Kairi's Nobody. The Organization crumbled and the two became one again."

"So she's gone too."

"I'm sorry I brought it up." Rachel said.

Aiden could tell she meant it. That look of knowing you accidentally stepped on a landmine was unmistakable.

"It's ok," He said. "I keep forgetting this is the future for everyone else. Naminé and I weren't really friends. I knew the feelings I had to protect her were only there because Naminé created them. So I left." And before he knew it, Aiden found himself sharing more than he intended. "Sora had finished Marluxia. Even with his memories all messed up and knowing that I wasn't his childhood friend, Sora was willing to accept me. I didn't need anybody feeling sorry for me but I was grateful when he asked Naminé if she could do something about my memories. I said she didn't have to. I said that I'd deal with what I had. But she gave me back the broken pieces anyway. Even though the truth hurt…she wanted me to at least have answers. She meant well, I guess. But it was after the pieces fell back in place I felt…"

He didn't continue. Rachel didn't need him to. He decided to change the subject.

"The first time we fought, what was that black thing?"

"My shadow."

"What?"

"As you know, every heart has a natural balance of Darkness and Light. It's supposed to be there. I made use of what was already in my heart and made it work for me."

"Wait…you didn't reach out into the Dark? Why not?"

"Why would I?"

"All Darkness is the same, isn't it? You must have felt that rush of power when you used it. If you've used Darkness of any kind, why not make the most of it?"

"Why would I want to?"

"Well…why wouldn't you? Darkness is so powerful. "

"Sounds like a never-ending cycle to me."

"What does?"

"Thinking Darkness is the best way to get stronger. If Darkness fails, what do you do? You like the power rush so much so you let in more Darkness. That's great until it fails again. And the cycle repeats. Over and over. I know the same concept can be applied to just about anything; magic, physical prowess, but Darkness is the easiest to get in past the point of no return without even realizing it."

Aiden felt a little uncomfortable the more she talked. "How is the Darkness that is supposed to be in the heart differ?"

"Darkness in the heart is supposed to be there. But until you actually try to do something with it, it doesn't really do much. Until you lie, or manipulate, or hurt others purely for the sake or satisfaction of doing it, it just keeps the heart in balance. The Darkness in the heart never grows unless prompted to. I think it works like this." Rachel held out her hand. A white light glowed in her palm and took the shape of a crystalline heart. A vine of black snaked around it. "The figurative heart looks something like this. The black line is the Darkness that balances the Light." The heart shifted. Inky blackness surrounded it and attached to the black line. The hearts Darkness was much smoother than the Darkness allowed in. The outside Darkness spread around the heart like grass roots. "That's the heart when it opens up to Darkness." The lines kept spreading and interweaving. They were small but the more they spun around each other the thicker and darker they looked. "Then this happens,"

There was a strange, pulse from the outside Darkness that ran up into the hearts' natural Darkness. The main vein of natural Darkness swelled. Then, like a drop of color dye in a glass of water, blackness appeared _within_ the glowing heart. First it was just a cloudy gray, then the entire heart turned a shiny black. The vein that connected the heart to its own Darkness was thick and twisted with many branches growing off of it. Those twisted tendrils were so thick the heart within couldn't even be seen.

"Now, I could be completely off the mark on this, but this is how it makes sense to me." With a swish of her wrist the heart vanished.

Aiden understood what the demonstration was explaining. Outside Darkness attached to the heart and anchored deeply as it grew. Then it corrupted the natural Darkness, then the core of the heart itself was corrupted. On top of that, the permitted Darkness formed a cage around the heart. That acted like a line of defense against any attempt for the heart to regain its former purity, both from within or without. And the _reason_ someone kept allowing Darkness to pour in could quicken the corruption. Wicked acts quickened the hearts' natural Darkness, overall, the concoction was just asking for disaster.

"You're more worried about what can _happen_ to a person from reaching out to the Dark than actually _using_ Dark powers, aren't you?" Aiden realized.

"Yeah…I guess so."

"So you're not afraid of Darkness?" Aiden asked, bewildered. "Not at all?" He remembered sensing Riku's fear of the Dark when they first met.

"I…I don't know if that's really the right way to ask." Rachel said. "I'm not afraid of a knife sitting on a shelf. Even in the hands of someone who wants to hurt me, I don't think I'd be afraid of what the knife is; just what it can do when wielded by someone with hostile intentions. I've even swum with sharks before. Even mere yards away from solid muscle and teeth with unpredictable temperaments, I don't remember being any more than just a little bit nervous. They were all around me but didn't bother me; I didn't bother them and knew when to back off if they looked irritated. I respected their power and their space and everybody went home happy and unscathed. Pardon the analogies. That's just the way I think."

"Please…go on."

"Honestly? I don't even think Darkness is necessarily bad or wrong. It balances the Light. Only the Light is everywhere so after a while the Light doesn't look that interesting or strong. Darkness is like the sharks; powerful, potentially dangerous but also fascinating and, in its own way, beautiful. I think the mystery of Darkness and the temptation that comes with it is what ends up being dangerous and corruptive. People think Light is good and Dark is bad. It gives a feeling of rebellious power to wield what doesn't seem morally or ethically right to do so. I think it's mostly because the power is different…not necessarily that it's stronger."

Rachel leaned back in her chair and stretched her arms above her head. "Well, it's been a long day and I'm turning in for the night. I'll c'ya in the morning. We can continue talking about this later if you'd like." She stood up, picked up her cat and waved him good night.

Aiden wasn't sure what stopped him from blurting his curiosity as to how she came to viewing the world that way. What inspired that kind of thinking? How could she just be like that? Even more amazing was how much authority she possessed when she spoke. Aiden had little doubts she could weave a yarn one-hundred and ten percent bogus and he'd believe her based on _how_ she told the story, not the content. She even admitted this wasn't fact, just the way that made sense to her, but it still sounded like irrefutable wisdom to him. It also gave him a lot to think about.


	19. Hair-Raising

" _Rikuuuuuu_."

"What do you want?"

"What makes you think I want something?"

"I'm figuring you out more than you think. That's the voice you use when before asking something of someone; usually something you feel you need to be sweet an innocent about before asking."

"I can't be that transparent."

"You should be flattered, it means I pay attention to you."

"Aww, that's so-hey! You were trying to distract me!"

"And it almost worked. What were you going to ask?"

"I was wondering if you wanted to help me test something. It'll be fun."

"What is it?"

Rachel fwipped her ponytail over her shoulder. A long lock of hair was highlighted a neon aqua color.

"You dyed your hair?"

"Isn't it pretty? It's not permanent. That would require another ingredient. Can I give you a few? _Pleeeeese_!"

Riku sighed. "It won't last?"

"No more than a few days." Rachel promised.

"Okay," Riku said in a resigned way. So long as he wasn't stuck with anything permanently, he didn't see why he couldn't entertain her.

"Yay!"

Rachel fiddled with a few tools and jars in her usual potions room. Aiden was there too. That was quite normal at this point. Riku started mentally referring to Aiden as Rachel's shadow; the sun would come up and he'd be right behind her.

"How's a red sound?"

"So long as it doesn't last and isn't bright orange."

From his table, Riku heard Aiden snort a laugh, apparently imagining what Riku would look like with orange highlights.

"Just don't go too crazy, okay?"

"I won't."

Rachel had him sit and she stood over him with the blood-red jar of dye. Riku didn't know what she was using to apply the dye, just that she used a thin comb to break up small locks of hair. Afterward he felt a slight tug and a few seconds later she let go after the color was put on. The things he would only do for her. Of course that list was about to get a whole lot shorter. After coloring four locks of hair, Rachel jolted back like she accidentally grabbed a scorpion and made a sharp, squeaky gasp.

" _What_!" Riku asked immediately. Gasps were never good.

"Um,"

Neither were 'ums'.

" _If you say 'whoops'-_!" He warned.

"What happened!?" Aiden exclaimed excitedly. He jumped from his work table and jolted like the Roadrunner to Rachel and Riku. After getting a quick look at what happened, he broke down laughing.

Riku scowled at Rachel. " _Why_ is he laughing?"

Rachel looked like she had just accidentally dropped a Fabergé egg down a canyon. "Well, ummm…the good news is…well, as we have already established, it is _not_ permanent."

"Rachel,"

"I, uh, don't think-."

"Give me the mirror."

"I want you to know first that I feel really bad about this."

Riku took the mirror. He was not at all amused. It was obvious Rachel didn't mean it. She truly thought she'd made the dye correctly. Only, whatever she'd done, the dye wasn't made dark enough. And when exposed to air without its permanency ingredient, was made even lighter. So he had four streaks of Pepto-Bismol pink. It looked like strips of bubblegum. If it had been anybody else he knew he'd be having a laugh too. Only because it was Aiden he felt particularly annoyed. Aiden had long-since crumpled on the floor and was gasping for air. Rachel couldn't look more anxious if she were eye to eye with a rattlesnake poised to strike.

"I am so sorry."

"Fix it."

"Um…I could get some scissors?"

"Will it come out after a good wash? And you! Shut up!"

Of course his expression of his displeasure gained him nothing with Aiden. Aiden was still on the floor, trying to breathe.

"Ow, ow, ow," Aiden whimpered through a smile. He was on his side in the fetal position, holding his stomach and trying to stop laughing so the pain would stop and he could breathe. His face was flushed but he was enjoying every second.

"It should help," Rachel said, answering Riku's question.

"I'm leaving now to take care of this." Riku said flatly.

"Sowwie!" Rachel said again as he left.

Aiden eventually calmed down enough to stand up and stop snickering. "Hey, what other colors do you have of that stuff?"

"Um, I've got the aqua, red…well, pink and black. Although if I made the same mistake with the black it'll probably be more gray."

"I want that, the black, I mean."

"You want me to color your hair."

"Yeah, but so it lasts."

"Anything specific?"

"You did a good job last time, surprise me."

"Whatever you say."

Rachel looked through the book she used again for the permanency ingredient and how much she needed. After mixing it she had him sit down and got out her tools again.

"Okay, lay your head down. It'll be easier for me."

"Fine."

So she got to work. First his long hair was all combed up so she could start at the bottom. It took a while. Aiden nearly fell asleep at one point. With his head down, relaxed and getting his hair played with felt very soothing. First Rachel pulled down a layer with her small comb. Then she took a lock from that layer and used her color tool on it. After a second, it dried, then she pulled down another layer and repeated.

"Voila! Another success."

"Promise?"

"Oh yes. Although we could always bleach your hair and start over if you don't like it."

"Oh no, this is awesome!" Aiden snatched the mirror Rachel had used earlier when she colored her own hair.

The layering was done in such a way that that once his hair laid down the way it was supposed to, the black wasn't that intrusive. But when he ran his fingers through his hair and pulled it back, it looked kinda zebra-ish.

"I'm fighting the sudden urge to break out in the chorus of Ebony and Ivory." Rachel said. She fiddled his hair a little. "I think I did good. And I think this look works for you."

"It does," Aiden agreed with a smile. "This is cool, thanks."


	20. Eye Dye

A cauldron quietly bubbled in the middle of the room. White mist was rising from the top. The room had a light aroma of hyacinth. Riku smiled when he saw Rachel stirring the potion. He cleared his throat to announce his arrival.

"Oh hi! Almost done."

"Whoa."

She turned around and was wearing big, magnifying goggles. She sprinkled in another ingredient, stirred again then greeted him properly.

"Is that stuff bad for your eyes?"

"Oh no. Nothing bad."

"Good, because those goggles make you look silly."

"No more than you do every day."

Aiden had been sitting on a windowsill reading something the whole time. Snideness had proven to be a normal part of the way he talked. Especially when talking to Riku. He never went out of his way to be cordial with him. Never did, why start now?

Riku didn't answer. He could take an insult. Especially one he knew was just a jab for the sake of making one. He had begun to wonder though just how much of the harassment he put up with was in fact genuine, deep-seeded dislike or just spite. Although he did notice something.

"What have you done to him?" Riku hadn't come back since the hair dye incident. It took a few days for his embarrassing highlights to fade so he hadn't seen what Aiden had done with his own hair. Hiding that from the others had been a challenge. Lately he'd been wearing a lightweight, sleeveless, zip-up hoodie. But up until he needed something to cover on his head, the hood part of the hoodie was about as relevant as the G in 'lasagna'. But he never wore a hood before. So the sudden change of style had everyone else pestering him as to why he was wearing one. It felt like trying to fend off a pack of stray dogs with a grilled steak tied to your leg.

"His idea," Rachel said.

Riku wasn't about to comment that the first thing that crossed his mind was the image of a piano.

Rachel went off to get another potion started while the first one simmered. While she prepared the next potion, Riku took a closer look at the first. The mist swirled over the surface like the early morning fog over the ocean. It smelled like flowers but also something else. He leaned over it and smelled it. Raspberry? That's it. Flowers and berries. And something else that he couldn't name. Was it sweet? Citrus? Maybe even a touch of sour? He couldn't decide. The easiest answer of course would be to just ask what was in it or what magic made it smell flower fields and sunlight.

"RIKU NO!" Rachel suddenly shrieked.

Her very loud exclamation startled him, as much as when she grabbed the back of his shirt and yanked him back.

"What? _What_! I thought you said this wasn't bad."

"Bad, no. But it could be permanent if you're not careful."

" _Please_ say it turned his eyebrows pink. It would go great with his hair."

"Zip it." She scolded. "C'mere, let me see."

Rachel put her hands gently on either side of Riku's face and looked him over carefully.

"What was that supposed to do?" Riku asked, glancing at the potion.

"Whoa…it's like…looking at the sun in a clear sky."

" _What_ is?"

"Your eyes."

"Thank you?"

"Um, here." Rachel flew up to a shelf and picked up a little mirror.

Riku looked into it. Dang, she wasn't kidding. Stemming from around his pupil was a bright starburst of metallic yellow. But the color hadn't spread to his entire eye so it did in fact look like someone had stamped on a little sun with his normal eye color as the back color.

"You can fix that, right?"

"You just got an eyeful of mist and the potion isn't done brewing yet. It will fade after a while. You'd have to actually drop the liquid directly into your eye for it to be permanent."

"What is this, the magic of cosmetics chapter?"

"Pretty much, yeah."

"Wait a minute." Aiden said, getting up. "That stuff changes eye color?"

"Yep. Though it will end up not being so canary yellow after it's had time to stew properly. It will keep that metallic sheen. Why?"

"I want that."

"Golden eyes?

"Yeah."

"Might I ask why?"

"You said to differentiate myself if I wanted to be individual, right?

"Name, hair, guess I did. This color or something else?"

"This is fine."

"My eyes itch, is that supposed to happen?" Riku hadn't said anything while they talked but was beginning to have concerns about the mist. His eyes felt very dry. "This stuff doesn't affect vison, does it?"

"Probably just a side-effect of indirect exposure to an incomplete potion. Let me know in a while if it doesn't stop."

The dryness and itching did end after a while on its own. The second potion she had started fizzed fiercely, like the foam of soda when you fill it too fast. Apparently it was supposed to do that, which wouldn't have been a bad thing except it smelled like a combination of clean laundry and a musty barn stall. After about an hour the potion was finished and Rachel bottled it to show Master Yen Sid. Before she did, Rachel found an eye dropper and filled it. The finished potion was curiously clear.

"Ok, the more drops put in every few minutes the darker the color will be. Sit."

Aiden sat on a chair and Rachel stood over him with the dropper. He tilted his head back and Rachel gently held his eyelid open with her thumb. One drop. She moved her thumb to let him blink.

"Anything?" He asked.

"Give it a sec. Okay, the color's changing. No stinging? No pain?"

"No. Nothing. No, not the other one." He said when she moved to do his other eye.

"What?"

"Just the one."

"Whatever you say."

For the next several minutes Aiden had her put in one drop after another while checking in the little mirror until his iris was the color he liked. His right eye remained vivid blue. The left had now been stained golden amber.

"You go any darker it will start looking brown."

"This is fine." Aiden said. He held the mirror close to his face, examining his new eye color closely. A bit of an odd combination of colors but he liked it all the same. The gold even had a subtle yet distinct glisten to it the plain blue one lacked.

He smiled. "I like it."


	21. Riku's Next Question

Riku just let himself flop on his bed back at the Tower. Between his Master training and visiting Rachel at the training castle he was sometimes left feeling very worn out. Some evenings he just crashed. He tried to get as much rest as he could so not to get completely frazzled. If he couldn't get to sleep right away, he thought back on the day; usually the incidents at the magic castle. Although Rachel was making great strides with her magic training and had an over-abundance of talent, sometimes there was nothing you could do if a spell just didn't want to work right the first time.

Such was a time when Riku came into her usual potion room and found Rachel hovering by a table.

"Hi, what're you up t-?" He'd begun.

"RIKU FREEZE!" She shrieked.

It was like someone hit the pause button.

"Um…what happened?" He asked cautiously after several tense seconds.

"Um, uh, well. I-uh." She looked positively panicked. "I think I accidentally turned Aiden into a bug and now I can't find him!"

"Are you for real?"

"Yes! So don't breathe in too hard or sneeze!"

"Can't you just cast a counter spell around the room?"

"Um,"

"You don't know how."

"That wasn't what the spell was supposed to do!"

Aiden had in fact been a gnat and very unamused even though it had been an honest accident. It only took a few minutes for the spell to lose its edge and he changed back. Only he'd been buzzing over Riku's head when it happened and they crashed. Aiden said he was sorry but Riku was sure he somehow did it on purpose.

Another time Riku found Rachel in the Atrium alone. She was sitting at one of the tables and looked very upset. In fact, on the verge of tears by the look of it. Of course, he was on it immediately.

"Hey, what's wrong?" He'd pulled up a chair next to her.

"Nothing," Rachel sniffed. "I'm fine."

"C'mon, it can't really be nothing. I've never seen you look so pitiful before. So what's wrong and how can I help?"

"It's nothing! I…I just, this isn't something you can fix."

Rachel pushed the closed book in front of her to him. But it wasn't shut completely. Something was stuck inside it. Riku opened the book to that spot. It had been bookmarked with a thin vial of some cherry colored stuff. He then looked at the page.

 _Colarious: A tricky potion that turns clear when applied to any kind of food or drink. It induces a temporary deeply emotional or depressive state. Take care with certain ingredients and the preparation of said ingredients. Emotional states could be dangerous if induced too deeply._

"You tested it? On yourself?"

"I was," Rachel choked and took a second to recompose herself. "I was feeling bad that-that I'm always having you two t-test everything I try. I was jus-I was just," She sniffled and couldn't continue.

Riku was glad she wasn't looking at him. She looked so cute right now and he didn't want her to see him smiling. And he cursed himself a monster for thinking that. Even if it was the effects of a potion, sad was still sad. Riku tried to put an arm around her to make her feel better but she pulled away. Almost immediately he could sense she regretted doing so. So she wanted comfort but she didn't. He could fix that.

Riku left for just a second across the atrium. After working on something, he came back.

"C'mon," Riku said, taking her under the arm and encouraging her to stand up. She did but reluctantly. "C'mon," He encouraged again.

Riku held her by the hand and led her to the treehouse. Knowing he probably wouldn't be able to get her to climb; Riku took a pinch of pixie dust from Rachel's side pouch and sprinkled it on himself. He held on to her and lifted them both up into the treehouse. Once inside, Riku showed her what he had done. In the main clearing of the treehouse he'd gathered every pillow, cushion and blanket from the entire treehouse in a high, narrow U shape.

"I made you a nest," Riku explained.

Rachel lowered her head and turned away, emotional and touched and not wanting him to see her sniffly. Riku was glad she did. He didn't want her to see him smile. She looked so pitiful it was adorable. He got her snuggled in. Right away she looked better.

"Want me to leave?"

Rachel shook her head and gave him the most heart-wrenching begging gaze for him to stay. So Riku sat down next to her and pulled in a few more cushions so they were both snuggly swaddled together. And there they stayed, cuddling until the potion wore off and Rachel felt better.

Riku loved their cuddle times. Sometimes they talked, but most of the time they just enjoyed the warm closeness in silence. During one of these times he learned something interesting. They were lying comfortably on a cushy chaise lounge sofa in the library. Riku typically laid on his back with Rachel on her side sort've half-lying on him. He liked that. He'd brought it up to her several times he felt his best with her so near. His unique ties to Darkness and Light and whatever part he might play in the battles that lay ahead seemed so irrelevant and beneath notice when she was telling him stories, singing to him or just being herself.

"I discovered something not long ago," Rachel said out of the blue during one of their quiet evenings.

"Hmm?" Riku said with his eyes closed.

"While the heart has its one unique song, that's not the only one it sings. Hearts sing all kinds of songs depending on how they feel."

"Yeah?"

"I want to hear what yours is singing now," She nuzzled his shoulder with her head.

"Whenever you want," Just what would she have to ask him that he'd actually say no to?

Rachel giggled happily. She called Ocean Song and laid the blade between them. After a moment the orange star sparkled from within and glistening color began to slide down the musical lines of the shaft. Music floated from the blade; as did a gentle male voice singing the song. Roughly translated, the tender mood between them created a song that went something like this,

" _I can't fight this feeling any longer, and yet I'm still afraid to let it flow. What started out as friendship as grown stronger, I only wish I had the strength to let it show._

 _I tell myself I can't hold out forever. I say there is no reason for my fear. 'Cause I feel so secure when we're together. You give my life direction, you make everything so clear._

 _And even as I wander, I'm keeping you in sight. You're a candle in the window on a cold, dark winter's night. And I'm getting closer than I ever thought I might._

 _And I can't fight this feeling anymore. I've forgotten what I started fighting for. It's time to bring this ship into the shore and throw away the oars forever. 'Cause I can't fight this feeling anymore. I've forgotten what I started fighting for. And if I have to crawl upon the floor, come crashing through your door, baby I can't fight this feeling anymore._

 _My life has been such a whirlwind since I saw you; I've been runnin' round in circles in my mind. And it always seems that I'm following you, girl,_

 _Because you take me to the places that alone I'd never find…"_

The chorus repeated once then the lights of the blade went dark as the song ended. Rachel didn't say anything but Riku could practically hear her smile. That revealed a lot more than he thought it would but that was okay. Sometimes a song can string together the words you need far better than you could ever hope to on your own. And they both knew what they had heard was the absolute truth. It was a song from the heart. A heart could be changed, darkened, twisted, manipulated, overjoyed or sorrowful; but a heart can never lie about its true self.

Riku was shaking off more and more the stigma and pride that guys have a hard time letting go and showing their feelings. True, sometimes it felt like he was making himself vulnerable, spilling so much about himself, but it was with Rachel. He had seen before when the raw parts of his heart were exposed, she shielded them, not attacked them. And when she knew his honest feelings about and for her, it made her smile. He loved it when she smiled because of him. And if you do something that results in something you like, why stop?

But another day was coming to an end. There was nothing else that could really be done but Riku didn't feel like turning in just yet. So, he chose something he promised himself he wouldn't get out too often: Riku got out the What If mirror.

He tried not to use the mirror too often. The last time he used it he could see how easily it could be to get addicted to asking questions and getting shown all sorts of answers. Yes, he could ask anything no matter how silly or pointless, but the things he wanted to look at could possibly spoil the joys of future, real-life events. But since this was the first time in a while he'd asked a question like that, he saw no harm in doing it again. So he asked his question.

"What might my future with Rachel look like?"

Riku shut his eyes, anticipating the blinding flash that followed asking a question like that. When he opened his eyes again, Riku was a bit confused about why he was seeing what he was seeing. He was on a beach. Barely looking at it, he could tell he was on the island he grew up on. Back home? He wondered why. But he wasn't wondering long.

Coming up the beach was obviously one of his possible future selves. His possible-self was coming his way so Riku didn't move. Riku was curious about what his possible-self was doing. He had a strap across his chest, meaning he probably had something bagged on his back. And he was carrying something like a bundle of blankets or towels. Both actually. When the distance closed, Riku smiled when he realized what his future self was holding and what he was doing on that beach with it.

The bundle of blankets was actually a swaddled newborn. He was only carrying it with one arm, so it must have been either very new or very small; both were a possibility too. Riku walked alongside his possible-self. He was obviously several years older and his hair was growing out again. Only he kept his eyes in the clear this time.

Riku was still smiling. As soon as he discovered the bundle was actually a baby, he knew exactly what was going on. This was exciting. This future he _knew_ would come to pass when the time came he had children of his own. He knew this because he fully intended to make this happen for most of his life.

On the Destiny Islands, a valued tradition had survived the generations and very few did not honor it. Traditionally, within the first few days after a baby was born, the father took his child to the beach to give the baby their first bath in the ocean. Very few actually knew how this tradition started or what its original significance was. But it was widely believed the act of bathing a newborn in the ocean would always keep them connected to the sea and have good fortune as they lived and played upon its waters. Even as a kid, Riku thought that was pretty cool. He never counted the days until he would be able to take part in that tradition, of course, but in his mind always intended to do so.

Possible-Riku inspected a shallow rocky tide pool. Then he stepped back, gently put the bundle on the sand, unwrapped the blankets and took off the backpack. Riku stayed close to watch the whole thing. His possible-self never spoke as he worked. After putting the child down, he pulled a big beach towel out of the backpack, folded it in half and laid it across the rocks in the tide pool. After putting another much smaller towel in his pocket, possible-Riku turned to pick up his baby. He carefully held the bare babe close to his chest and dropped to his knees in the shallow water before laying the child on the towel. Possible-Riku kept his left hand behind the childs' head at all times.

Riku sat himself on a rock right above his possible-self and the baby. As per tradition, the child was naked so he could tell the newborn was a girl. That made him smile. He'd seen a possible future where he and Rachel had a little boy. Now he was seeing a future with a daughter.

As soon as the babe touched the water her whole body tensed up and she started wailing. The island waters weren't exactly cold but it probably felt that way to a new baby. Possible-Riku took the wash cloth and began giving the little girl a gentle scrub with the sea water. She didn't like the treatment at all. She kicked her little legs and flailed her arms as best she could with as powerful cries of protest as she could manage. Possible-Riku smiled. Anyone could see by his expression he thought that was the most beautiful sound in the world. After another minute or so the tradition was complete. Possible-Riku let the water drops on his hand fall on the child's head. She flinched with the contact but the water didn't slip into her eyes. With a bit of magic the wash cloth and the beach towel in the water vanished and possible-Riku carefully picked the baby up; only to lay her down again on the bundle left on the sand.

Riku smiled as he watched his possible-self bundle the little girl up in the soft towel, cradle her snuggly, slip his sandals back on and go back down the beach. Once she was swaddled warm and comfortable she stopped fussing and was quiet. Then the image faded and Riku was once again in his room. The young master returned the mirror back to its shelf and got ready for for bed. That was a great thing to witness. He hadn't ever told Rachel about what he saw when he asked the mirror about his possible future with her. He wasn't sure how she'd feel about it. Romantic or a little strange? He'd concern himself with that later.


	22. Third Journal

_I can't really put a finger on why I like writing in these journals so much. Well, maybe I do. I guess what Rachel said about journals when she first gave me mine is true. I think she said,_

'-journals are the best listeners and keepers of secrets.'

 _I'm liking putting myself into it. Even more now that I really feel that I have a self. It's amazing to me how much the changes I've made to my appearance help give me that feeling. My hair style and color are now entirely different from the real thing. Now my eyes are different too. Maybe I'll one day I'll ask if Rachel can brew that potion again in a different color and re-color my other eye. Though I'm not sure I'm brave enough to do much more just yet._

 _I really feel the more I learn and the more I do the more I can change. And believe me, I want to. I feel a lot better about myself the more differences I make in myself, in appearance, what I like and what I'm learning. I want to be as different from the real thing as I can. And I want to make my Heart Song change. I didn't like what I heard when Rachel sang it to me. I eagerly await the day I can listen to it again and hear a new song._

 _I've had amazing talks with Rachel about Darkness. I can't believe how much she seems to know. Then again, when I was created and introduced to Dark powers, no one told me the other sides of Darkness. Yes, the power rush is incredible, but I understand now that isn't the only way to power. I also understand it's not a sign of weakness to choose not to embrace the Dark. I mean, just look at her. Her Shadow was born of her own power and it flattened me. We've sparred a few times and her skill is amazing; all without the use of Dark powers. I guess I just needed a better model for how to become stronger._

 _I still get irritated when Rachel and the real thing are all cuddly together. Don't know why. Maybe it's just him. Though I guess cuddling is better than what I that was going on the other day. I was walking by a side room. The door was open just a crack and I could hear them inside._

* * *

This is what happened.

* * *

"Okay, are you ready?" Came Riku's voice.

"Yeah, go ahead.

"All right, here goes."

"OW!OW!OW!OW!OW!"

"SORRY!"

"I said 'ow', I didn't say 'stop'."

"You sure you want me to do it again?"

"Yeah…just start a little slower."

"That better?"

"Oh yeah, much. Little to the left and a smidge up."

"There?"

"Yes. Ow. That's the spot. Now just-ow…ease into it this time. Yeah, yeah, yeah…right there, just like that."

"Anything yet?"

"A little harder."

"Like that? I don't want to hurt you."

"It's fine. I can feel it now, ow, little more. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah! There it goes!"

Aiden couldn't take it anymore. Even fully aware he might regret it, he just had to have confirmation of what they were doing. He swung the door open, ready to demand to know what the heck was going on.

But there was no need. Rachel and Riku looked at him, surprised by the intrusion. Rachel was sitting on a stool, Riku standing behind her with his hands across her shoulders.

"What is this?" Aiden asked cautiously.

"I had a knot in my shoulder. Riku was helping me massage it out."

"But…what was with all the 'ows'?"

"You ever have someone jab their thumb into your muscle trying to get the tension to release?"

"Why?" Riku asked. "What did you _think_ we were doing?"

* * *

 _I still get a weird shiver thinking about it._

 _Magic is getting intense around here too. I'm learning quite a bit. I really like making cool potions and I'm getting good at it. It's amazing how limitless magic seems to be. Rachel knows so much and yet she insists she's got so much to learn. I guess sorcery is broken up into ranks; Grand Sorcerer being the highest. And I guess there's a difference between Wizard and Sorcerer? Rachel said her master and mentor are a sorcerer and wizard respectively but never went into detail what made the two different. Amazing to think she has still a long way to go before she can be considered a true sorceress. It's a little hard to wrap my head around, really. Just how much power can be out there that someone could be so strong with magic and still be at the base of the mountain? Okay, maybe the gap isn't as wide as that sounded. But the way she talks about having so much to learn and all the magic she's not powerful enough to wield is fascinating as well as daunting._

 _I'm thinking about asking her to share more magic skills with me. I'll admit magic certainly has an edge Darkness lacks. Darkness, as far as I know can't turn people who annoy you into fruit flies (she did that to me once. It was an accident but it still felt weird). I'd like to learn some of this too. I doubt I'll get the chance to become an official magician, mage, whatever considering my existence in this time is supposed to be a secret but that doesn't mean I couldn't learn a thing or two, right?_


	23. Familiar Prt 1

Riku's training as a Keyblade Master kept him away from the training castle for several days. Long periods of time back at the Tower were actually starting to make him nervous. He tried not to think about Aiden and the spell they used to bring him to the castle; he was afraid if he let the thoughts roam his mind, Master Yen Sid might pick up on them and figure out they'd been hiding something. That would lead to an explanation he really didn't want to give, or feel the sting of the consequences.

As usual, finding Rachel was like going on an adventure in itself. The training castle was so big and there were plenty of places she frequented. She didn't even have a set schedule like potion Tuesdays or anything to have a better idea where to start. But as always he found her eventually. And as always, Aiden was typically close beside.

This time they were in a large study hall. This room had a little bit of everything. Spell books and regents, cauldrons and potion ingredients and a lot of long tables so many people could work at once. Rachel was working at something with a visible fervor he'd never seen before. Whatever she was doing she must be really into it.

Aiden was sitting on an overturned cauldron on top of the table. He was holding a book but appeared to be more interested in whatever Rachel was up to than reading it. Aiden heard Riku approach first and turned, his golden eye shining. He didn't say anything and turned around again as though Riku were no more interesting than a vase of wilting flowers.

"What're you up to now?" Riku asked.

Rachel looked up from her project, gave a short wave of hello then rubbed her hands together with a maniacally gleeful giggle.

"Sounds exciting." He said with a smile.

She giggle-squealed again. Perhaps her euphoria made her beyond speech.

On the table were a lot of miscellaneous items as well as a huge spell book she was working from. The key item appeared to be a crystal orb about the size of an apple on a silver stand. Around it, in different colored sands were what looked like transmutation circles. Different items were placed specifically all around it.

Riku looked to Aiden. "So what's she doing?"

Aiden shrugged. "Don't know. She hasn't said and I can't read those spell books."

Riku sat down across from Rachel and watched her finish her spell. She put different items around the crystal, sprinkled potions or dusts over the crystal itself and finally ended by putting her hands on either side of the orb. She closed her eyes and after a moment white and blue light glittered from her hands and went inside the crystal, it glowed brightly with its new light. Apparently this was exactly what was supposed to happen because the light in Rachel's eyes lit up brighter than that in the crystal.

"Is this the part where you tell us what you're doing?" Aiden asked.

It took a second for the excited giggles to subside before she answered.

"Oh this is a- _maze_ -ing!"

" _What is_?"

"I'm summoning a Familiar!"

"A what?"

Rachel explained that throughout the history of magical users, great wizards and sorcerers were often aided or accompanied by magical creatures known as Familiars. The Familiar, depending on what it was and how it was summoned, would either enter something like a magical agreement of servitude or partnership or would be raised by the one who summoned it and be a lifelong companion. Witches were known best for their constant companions of crows, ravens or black cats; but a Familiar could be any kind of creature. The old sorcerers of the training castle had refined ways of summoning or finding the perfect companion. That was the spell Rachel had just cast. Turns out a special room existed deep within the castle especially for Familiars. She'd never been there so she didn't know what was in it but apparently this new spell would lead her to it and the best Familiar.

"Ok," Rachel said excitedly. "Let's do this."

She rubbed her hands together again and touched the orb gently with a single finger. The crystal immediately fractured like an eggshell and fell apart, dissolving into dust as it hit the table. The light inside remained but floated and moved about on its own. It had a new glisten to it as well. Riku and Aiden leaned closer to it as it moved.

"What _is_ it?" Aiden asked.

"That light has some of my own magic in it. It will go to a Familiar that best suits me."

Right on cue the light started twitching in the air then, flew away.

"There it goes! C'mon!"

The light moved swiftly but nothing a brisk walk couldn't keep up with. They were led down hallways and stairs that went down to the floor below. On and on it went down a long hallway. Finally it came to a set of tall white doors. Just being near them caused the door to open and the light went in.

The room beyond the door was perfectly circular with a high-domed ceiling. It was like being in a snow globe. No kidding. The walls were white marble and almost appeared to glow. The first room was completely empty but had three archways equidistant from one another that led to other, bigger rooms with the same white walls. The light swished its way to the first archway on the left. Inside was incredible.

This had a much higher ceiling with ledges protruding from the walls in a spiral that went upwards. On the ledges and hanging on long chains from the ceiling were birdcages of all sizes. Each one of the cages was occupied by some kind of feathered creature. Some looked tropical with shining iridescent feathers and bright colors. Others had long plumes on their heads or tails. Some had long necks, others had squat bodies. Some were obviously birds of prey and others looked like gentle songbirds. They were all in a deep sleep, shuffling only as they breathed.

"What are they?" Aiden asked, amazed, peering into a few cages at the sleeping occupants.

"I have no idea." Rachel breathed.

The light moved around the room, stopping at a few cages for a few seconds before moving on. Eventually it moved on to the next room. This room was just as interesting as the birds. Lining the walls were small pedestals. But instead of trophies at the top, were discs of swirling lights. Each of them had a plaque but they were written in a language none of them recognized. They would discover later these light discs were actually tiny portals to other worlds and even other dimensions where creatures suitable to be a Familiar could be summoned through.

In the center of the room were several 'paddocks' for actual sleeping creatures. One looked to be a chimera cub. In another, a young faun-like creature quietly sucked its thumb all curled up on a large pillow. Next to the faun, something that looked like a jeweled scorpion the size of a cat had its legs and tail tucked under and around itself like a puppy all curled up for a nap. Another looked like a snake but its head was oddly square. Others, they weren't even sure how to describe. All of them were spelled into an eternal sleep until their destined partner came for them. But Rachel's light thing wasn't satisfied with anything it inspected so far. Some it skipped over completely. Every time it hesitated Rachel held her breath, all pins and needles that this might be the one. But the light hadn't found its match yet and moved on to the final room.

The last room was by far the most enchanting. There were rows upon rows of ornate shelves, like long bookcases. And they were all lined with eggs.

"It's here." Rachel said in an excited whisper. "I can feel it, it's in here somewhere."

The light seemed to agree. It paused at the doorway then flickered before entering at a much faster pace than it had before. This was getting exciting. Quickly the light darted around each shelf. It could be seen so obviously by watching the light knew it was on the right track and was eager to find what it had been searching for.

The eggs were beautiful. Even the most common looking ones had a magical air about them. The smallest they'd seen was only the size of an apple. Another was the size of a beach ball. Some had shiny shells. Others were so smooth and polished they could see their reflections. Some were solid in color while others were spotted or speckled.

Suddenly it stopped. Rachel had halted so suddenly Riku and Aiden bumped into her. The light was still in the space between two rows. Very slowly it moved to the left, gliding by each egg, starting at the bottom row and moving its way up. Then it jerked upward, skipping two rows completely.

It froze. Then the light sparkled and glittered. The colors within it pulsed. Slowly it approached one of the eggs and with one silent movement slid inside it. A gentle glow pulsed from inside the shell once and all was still.

Rachel and company barely dared to breathe. But the only thing that happened was the air around the egg rippled as the stasis spell cast upon it years ago to keep it from hatching or going bad faded. When they were confident the egg wasn't going to start hatching right there on the shelf, they approached it for a better look. The egg was a dull robin's-egg-blue with turquoise speckles and about the size of a soccer ball (only obviously egg-shaped). Fingers trembling with excitement, Rachel picked up the egg from its pillow on the shelf and cradled it. Neither Riku or Aiden could resist touching the shell. It was like polished stone and despite being underground in a windowless room it felt warm like it had been left in the sun.

"What is it going to be?" Riku asked.

"I have no idea." Rachel answered. But her tone suggested she really couldn't care.

"They don't tell you what it is?" Aiden asked, unbelieving nobody took the time to make a note of what kinds of eggs were collected for future sorcerers. He checked the shelf. No plaque, no tag, no nothing. All of the eggs were like that now that he stopped to look. There was absolutely no indication on any of the hundred eggs that had to be in the room as to what they were or where they came from. "So you could be holding a baby dragon right now but we won't know until the thing hatches?" He said in a that-is-so-not-cool voice.

"That would be _awesome_." Rachel's eyes grew wide and her expression blank as she imagined what it might be like to have a pet dragon.

Riku had to click his fingers in front of her face to snap her out of it.

When she did, Rachel cuddled her egg affectionately and kissed the shell saying, "I love you already."


	24. Familiar Prt 2

Master Yen Sid was not at all surprised when Rachel came back to the Tower to show him and the others her egg. He knew it was only a matter of time before she found the summoning spell. And he knew once she found it there was no way she wasn't going to try it. Same with showing it off the second she found it.

"So what's inside it?" Kairi asked. Rachel had bundled up a blanket on the table and placed the egg on it like a nest. Kairi gently ran her hand down the smooth shell. It was amazing how smooth the shell was. Normally eggshells of any kind, even the soft shells of sea turtles had some kind of texture. This was like heavily polished stone.

"A baby." Bryan answered immediately.

Kairi stuck her tongue out at him. "You know what I mean!"

"I honestly have no idea." Rachel answered her. "There were no signs or tags or anything on the shelves where the eggs were kept to tell what kind of creatures would hatch from them."

"So there could be a baby dragon in there and there is no way of knowing?" Sora asked.

Rachel and Riku tried not to look at each other. Aiden had said almost the exact same thing.

"I hope not," Bryan said. "She's already got a unicorn, a flying whale and a fat cat-dog thing. A dragon would be _way_ over the top."

"So what is it?" Lea asked, looking to Master Yen Sid.

But the old wizard merely shrugged. That of course could mean he honestly didn't know or he planned on keeping what he knew a secret so the hatching would be a surprise and leaving them to decide which.

"Okay, so how long will it take for it to hatch?"

"There is no way to tell." Yen Sid answered honestly. "The incubation periods for all bird species are different. A robin is ready to hatch in as few as twelve days. Most eagles hatch in thirty. On some worlds, dragons can hatch in as little as a month or in fact several years."

"Years?" Rachel squeaked. "You're not gonna do that do me, are you, little friend?" She whispered to the egg.

"And as this is surely a mythical creature of some sort, it may take longer. However," He continued when the oh-you-have-got-to-be-kidding-me groan chorused around the room. "We have no way of knowing at what stage of development the infant was in when the suspension of time spell was cast on it. It may have been taken moments after it was laid. Or it may in fact be readying itself to hatch as we speak."

"I'd love it if it were that easy."

"Suspension of time?" Sora asked.

"To keep the eggs from spoiling and live creatures from growing old or dying. The spell breaks when their destined partner comes for them and they age normally after that." Rachel explained.

"So this thing could be hundreds of years old? Just not aging?" Lea asked.

"Quite possible, yes."

"So what does a Familiar do?" Kairi asked.

So Master Yen Sid fully explained what a Familiar was and the potential powers it had. Familiars could be anything. They could be bound to a sorcerer or sorceress through a magical contract. The second and more common way, as Rachel had done, was to bind some of her magic to a youngling so it would grow up with a piece of her close to its soul. A sorcerer could channel his power through his Familiar if need be. Some creatures were naturally more inclined for magic so the amplified power was greater. All had the tendency to be highly intelligent and some even could learn to speak. Just like with people, personalities varied (hopefully it wouldn't grow up to be like Seger and be annoyed with the existence of everyone who wasn't his master). The only thing that always remained the same was the constant, deep connection with their master. The magical connection even extends their life by a great long while.

"Wait," Bryan said. His face screwed up as he tried hard to wrap his head around an impossible thought. "Does that mean-you mean to say…Merlin and _Archimedes_?!"

Yen Sid nodded.

Bryan stared at him for several very long seconds. "Is that old man never going to stop surprising me?"

The old sorcerer chuckled.

"That's right!" Rachel exclaimed. "I gotta show Merlin!" She wrapped up the egg in a tight bundle and left down the stairs to the portal mirror that led to Merlin's cottage.

Merlin had been spending more time at his cottage home and had placed another portal mirror in the cottage that went straight to his house in Radiant Garden. It also made for easier travel between the tower and the great city without traveling the cosmos on the King. Kairi was especially happy with this arrangement. She liked Merlin a lot and could now visit her home world with greater frequency than before. Kairi skipped along beside Rachel as she went. Maybe Merlin would know or would tell them what the egg would become.

"So you're serious?" Bryan asked his mentor. "That grouchy old owl is Merlin's magical companion."

"We're talking about the same owl who called me a 'pain in the pinfeathers', right?" Lea said.

"Well he's not wrong." Riku muttered but deliberately loud enough for Lea to hear.

"Merlin did not seek the wonders of the Vault of Familiars until some time into his wizardry." Master Yen Sid explained before Lea could return a comment to Riku. "Once he did, he and Archimedes have been together ever since."

"Is that why they bicker so much like an old married couple?" Bryan asked. "Because they've been together so long?"

"So how old would that make Archimedes?" Sora asked.

"That's for you to ask Merlin"

"What about you?" Lea asked. "Did you ever have a familiar?"

Master Yen Sid nodded. This surprised and intrigued all present.

"What is it?" Riku asked. "How come we've never se-?" He broke off, realizing mid-sentence the rather obvious reason. "Oh,"

Once again, the sorcerer nodded, confirming Riku's realization.

"Much like Master Rachel, I summoned a familiar not too long into my own sorcery training. But that was a very long time ago."

The boys understood that to mean the familiar, whatever it was, had long-since passed away. But Yen Sid assured his apprentices there was no need to be sorry or sad. A familiar was much like having a pet in regard to its lifespan. Yes, magical creatures, especially when tied to a magically inclined human can have considerable lifespans, nothing can live forever. Only a handful of recorded familiars in wizarding history outlived their masters when natural causes played a factor. But a familiar is tied by the soul to its master and live for many, many years close to their summoner. Most of those that survived their masters pined away and died of sorrow not long after.

No one pressed the sorcerer as to what his familiar was, what he called it or what happened to it. There was just that atmosphere it would be prude to do so and probably wouldn't get a response if they had.


	25. What Next

Riku came back to the Mysterious Tower much earlier than he normally might. He had a lot on his mind lately. The walk back to the tower was pretty much run on autopilot as the young islanders' thoughts were elsewhere. A lot of it had to do with Aiden and what was to become of him in the future.

Yes, Riku and Rachel had succeeded in bringing the replica to their present and away from the grim fate that he had seemed destined for, but what next? Aiden wanted to be his own self, to be free of the shackles that made him feel a worthless, empty copy of Riku. Again, this was also going very well. Aiden now had a name and look (though Riku's personal opinion was the blue and gold eye looked a little freaky when looked at straight on)that he had decided on; decisions that were his and his alone. He had interests and knowledges that differed from Riku's. The gap between original and hollow reflection was growing wider by the day. And that was good.

However the next step was a lot less clear. What would eventually happen to Aiden? He couldn't spend the rest of his life at the training castle. Yet anywhere that Master Yen Sid might find out could be asking for trouble. Of course, coming clean might be better than the sorcerer piecing it together himself. But when would be a good time to spill? The longer they waited, the worse it would be. And what exactly could they say? Yep, we ripped apart the fabric of time to bring back a living puppet replica of myself from the past. His story sucked so I wanted to give him a second chance to live a better life. But don't worry, so far there have been no ill-effects to our meddling with time. Yeah, that would go over as smoothly as inviting an ant to an aardvark convention.

The only think Riku could feel once and a while was a headache if his thoughts happened to drift to the day at the manor gates. It was like watching a 2-D movie with 3-D glasses. The image didn't look right with two conflicting endings. As far as he could tell, that was the only bad thing to have happened since their meddling with time. Considering just how much more could have gone wrong, Riku was just fine with the occasional headache. Aiden didn't seem to be affected at all. For him, his timeline was like starting off running down the beach then getting pushed into a boat. The paths were now different but still going forward even if the transition was a little rough.

Riku didn't know how much thought Aiden had given to the future. He doubted Aiden would talk to him about it. He could always ask Rachel if the two of them ever talked about it. But when he did that he always felt a little nosy so he avoided it.

But thoughts about the next step were beginning to bother him. There was so much on his plate lately and it was starting to wear on him. Xehanort could strike at any time. Even if he didn't, they still needed to do all they could to get stronger or figure out how to get a step ahead. As a new Keyblade Master, the new powers Riku had access to were amazing. But that was still one more thing to add to the juggling act. He wanted to spend as much time with Rachel as he could but even that was starting to slide. Understandably he didn't want his other friends to notice anything either. That would lead to questions he really didn't want to try and answer.

Of course Aiden wasn't a factor in the original equation. Sora could never know who Aiden really was or his story. Would it be fair to bring Lea in on the secret? Riku was confident Lea would keep the secret but could he really burden a friend with the responsibility of keeping such a secret? Would it be fair to try and integrate Aiden into a "normal" life somewhere? Being able to live and make his own choices seemed like a great idea, but where? But he was also still really young so he couldn't just be left on his own. Even with Aiden's new hair and eyes, anyone who knew Riku would probably ask if Riku had a younger brother. Facially they were still a lot alike. As Aiden grew older, he would probably mature along the same lines Riku had. Oh…there was a thought. Would Aiden even age? Even if he was able to integrate somewhere…it wouldn't go unnoticed that the neighbor boy mentally and emotionally matured but didn't physically grow any older. And Riku had the suspicion claiming he was a vampire wasn't going to fly with anyone.

And it wouldn't be fair to Aiden to ask him to never call his weapon again to be "average" somewhere. Yet, at the same time, even though he could fight Heartless with Soul Eater, he couldn't be introduced as another key bearer. Sora would recognize the weapon and wonder why this new guy could wield Riku's old sword. Riku had no idea how to get Aiden a new weapon to overcome that hurdle. Yeah, as unlikely as it seemed initially, Lea had been accepted as key bearer so in theory the same might happen to Aiden. If it didn't, Riku had no explanation for how this person could carry a Heartless-fighting weapon. Then again, it was well-known that some special people throughout the worlds could in fact fight and defeat Heartless without the use of a Keyblade. Could they pass of Aiden as just one of those talented individuals they hadn't met yet?

Just thinking about it all made Riku feel drained. Aiden couldn't be made to live at the magic training castle forever. Given a normal life somewhere was a noble enough intension but had plenty of snags. Introducing him to the others as another hero of the Keyblade just seemed like knowingly stepping into a bear trap. On top of that, they would have to explain _how_ they just _happened_ to find someone with such skill while fully engrossed with their own training. Even if that would work, how could they get no one to notice the facial similarities between Aiden and himself? This was certainly a fine web to be caught in the middle of.

Then of course there was Rachel and her new egg. She would have to juggling her time too. The training of a Keyblade Master was never truly completely finished. She wanted to be a sorceress and there was still so much to learn and master with magic. Soon (they hoped) the egg would hatch and Rachel would also have to devote time and energy to raising it. Kairi especially would love to help out with the new baby whenever Rachel needed a break. Girls and baby animals and all that.

Before Riku knew it, he was approaching one of the Tower's main halls. But only a fraction of his mind registered this in order to dictate where he was going. Too bad too. What happened next could have been avoided if he'd been paying a little more attention.

This hallway connected at a T to one of the main hallways. Three steps connected the two pathways. Just a few feet away from the steps, crazy rapid footsteps could be heard barreling down the hallway. Only Riku was too deep in his thoughts to have heard it. Then, like a Houdini reappearing act, Sora came charging around the corner. By the time the friends saw each other and registered what was about to happen, it was well beyond the point of no return. Sora had no time to stop. Riku barely had time to flinch. They crashed.

Sora, with the momentum and height advantage from atop the steps, completely flattened Riku. Riku didn't have a lot of time to try and break his fall either. Dang that hurt! Riku held one hand over his face and the other on the back of his head. Stone floors…not fun. His head hurt. He gasped for breath, winded by the sudden impact followed by a fall. And his face really hurt. Sora had cracked him in the nose with his forehead as they went down.

"RIKU! Riku, I'm sorry! I am so sorry! Are you okay? I'm sorry! What's hurt?"

One hand still over his nose, Riku held up his other hand with the 'silence' gesture. Only this gesture was a lot more violent than the typical hold-up-one-finger-to-silently-ask-someone-to-be-quiet usually is. Sora wasn't sure the best course of action. He needed to properly express how bad he felt about the collision.

"I'm really sorry. I am so very sorry. Are you okay? I-I was just coming to find you." Yeah, right. Like an explanation would make it better. "Something really big has happened and Master Yen Sid wants everyone back in his study ASAP! I am so sorry about this. What can I can do to help?" Sora spoke very fast.

"Get off!"

"Oh! Yeah! Sorry!"

Sora scrambled off his pancaked friend. He eagerly offered a hand to help Riku get up but it was refused. Riku got to his feet with an annoyed and sore grunt. He still had a hand over his face. Still visibly irritated, Riku knocked once hard on the wall with his free fist. Immediately the color of the wall changed and lines appeared. The wall opened up into a door with a little room inside. It was like the Towers version of an elevator. It could appear absolutely anywhere it was needed and take you to any floor in just about any place. It was a little slower than a typical elevator but still faster than walking up the floors yourself. Up to the study? Fine.

Riku stepped inside. When he turned around Riku made a sharp, commanding gesture for Sora to stand beside him. Timidly, Sora complied. The doors closed and they felt the 'elevator' move up. Obviously Riku wasn't in the best of moods even though it was an honest accident. Sora wasn't sure what to do or say. He still felt he needed to stress how sorry he was for the crash. But also knew over-apologizing got annoying fast. So he awkwardly focused looking straight ahead at the door.

"Sora,"

"Hmm?" Sora tensed like he was expecting to get hit.

"Hate the sight of blood?"

"Huh?" Sensing he might regret it Sora half-turned to Riku.

"Too bad," Riku held his hand away from his face to present a very nasty nosebleed. His hand was terribly bloodied and looked like he'd just ripped someone's heart out with it.

"Oh boy!" Sora made a whimpering like wheeze, horrified by what he had done. "Oh boy, Riku, I am sorry! I didn't mean-!"

"Handkerchief."

"What?"

"Tissue?"

"Um, no?

"Take your jacket off."

"Wha-?" Sora was silenced by Riku's do- _not_ -make-me-say-it-again glare. He scrambled to get his jacket off and handed it to him; not sure what he planned on doing with it.

Riku snatched the jacket, bundled it up and staunched the bleeding with the hood. "Whadeber you needed to say beh'er be imbordant." Great. He was starting to sound strange. That was hands-down the worse part about nose-related injuries.

Sora winced when Riku held his coat to his nose. There's no reason magic couldn't get out a bloodstain, right? And it was his fault so he didn't have a lot of room to object.

"It's not broken, is it?"

"For your sake I hobe not. Now wha's going on das so imbordant?"

"Um, maybe now isn't the best time. This is pretty big and don't want you to hear it while upset. Just a bit of healing magic should fix it up. Want me to do it?"

"I'm fine. Now spill behfore I ged irridated."

"This is really big and really special," Sora promised.

"And?"

"Master Yen Sid says I'm ready to retake the Mark of Mastery."


	26. Mark Of Mastery

Rachel half-flew half-ran back to the Tower. Master Yen Sid had sent her a magical message to return right away for an important announcement. She could sense this was big just by holding the paper.

The young Master had her egg snuggly in its sling and cradled it carefully as she went. It was like an arm sling only a lot bigger and made of much softer, plushy material. It made keeping the egg close a lot easier. But it was a little hard to run while carrying something that size. That's largely why she was partially flying. Yes, she could've left it at the castle with Aiden; she trusted he'd keep it safe and warm. But then Yen Sid or the others might ask why she left it alone. Leaving it behind because 'nothing could happen to it' was hardly an excuse. It was going to be her magical partner from the second it was born, no way she'd ever appear leave it behind. Besides, she was already feeling a very strong maternal attachment to it and wanted to keep it close.

"So sorry if I'm late!" She cried coming through the door. Rachel stopped at Master Yen Sid's desk.

"There was no need to rush," The sorcerer assured her.

"What's up with you?" Rachel asked Riku. "You look kinda grumpy."

"It's nothing," Riku said dully and couldn't be pressed to say more.

Once they'd arrived at the study, Master Yen Sid fixed Riku's nosebleed and magically cleaned up the blood. Sora still felt bad. But that was going to take a back seat with what was coming up. Neither Lea, Kairi or Bryan were there. Rachel and Riku stood off to the side of the desk while Sora stood before Yen Sid.

The sorcerer summarized and skipped some of the formalities. It would just be redundant to go through the full explanation of the Mark of Mastery. This time would of course be very different. The challenge of the sleeping worlds was by far not the way the Mark of Mastery was usually taken. Masters could of course (as Yen Sid had done) alter the traditional exam when the circumstances lined up that it was needed.

"This time, the Mark of Mastery will be conducted in a similar fashion to the traditional test." Yen Sid summarized the details of the traditional test just so they knew the history. "Though I have decided this test will be entirely combative. Sora, you will have to use all your skills and powers in a one-on-one duel against another Master of the Keyblade. I believe this is the appropriate course of action for several reasons. But first and foremost is I want the environment completely controlled. If it hadn't been for Xehanort's interference, I believe the chances of you not passing the exam the first time to have been minute. This will take place right here in the Tower, away from any unwanted interruptions.

"The duel will last until I decide. I will be watching for absolute proof of the growth of your skills and powers from your training and personal talents. As for the rules, I believe the saying is, 'anything goes'. Brute strength and magic in any form you can utilize will be allowed. I will of course be keeping a close eye for variations in your fighting style as well. A true Keyblade Master is not dependent on a single skill set.

"This duel will be strictly a battle of skill; not conquest. The objective will not be to 'win'. I will not be so interested in errors or miss-steps as I will in how the error was made or corrected. But any efforts to impress will not be considered. I am aware of much you can do. Now I wish to see you pull it all together."

"I understand. Who all will be there?" Sora asked.

"As this test will be conducted a little differently, if you wish your friends to attend, I will permit it. The exam will take place tomorrow at noon. You have made impressive strides in your training. Prepare you heart and mind, Sora, and I have little doubt you will prevail. And I can see there is still a question in your eyes."

"Um, yeah…who-?"

Sora half-glanced to Rachel and Riku. Where they here because one of them would be the one he was to fight?

Either would make sense. Of course one of Master Yen Sid's key points of their training was to be able to go all-out against a friend without hesitation. Who better than to prove he could do just that than against his best friend? Then again, Rachel would undoubtedly be fighting with all sorts of unpredictable magic, that would certainly keep him on his toes.

"That'd be me."

A voice came from behind. Sora turned. Bryan was leaning against the open doorframe. He had a crazy, evil smirk. Master Yen Sid had told him first about the Mark of Mastery for Sora; and whether or not he would be interested in assisting. Bryan was more than happy to oblige.

"So you and I will be facing off for real tomorrow." Sora said to Bryan when they were all dismissed from the sorcerers study. That would certainly be challenge if they met on the battlefield in more than a learning or sparring capacity. "I look forward to the challenge."

Surprisingly, Bryan laughed. This wasn't like a _haha_ funny laugh. It was a little creepy.

"What?" Sora asked.

" _Looking forward_?" Bryan's man-snicker had a very obvious you-have-no-idea-what-you're-in-for edge. "Oh, trust me Sora, tomorrow you will definitely be singing a different tune; and if you're not careful, quite possibly a few octaves higher." They stopped just outside the door to Rachel and Bryan's room. "You've never actually fought me at my best before. Honestly? Since my last serious Heartless boss, the only person I've gone all apocalyptic with is my sister. As good as the rest of you are, she's the only one I trust to go full-throttle against and not have to worry about things getting out of hand.

"And passing the Mark of Mastery is a serious honor. Master made a good choice that you have to get through me to get it. The test for becoming a Keyblade Master has no room for friends. So, you can _look forward_ to it if you like. But believe me, Sora, come tomorrow on the battlefield, I'm gonna rip you apart."

With those parting words he went into his room and closed the door.

Everyone was left in a stunned silence in the hallway.

"Wow…" Rachel breathed after a second.

"Is he serious?" Sora asked, honestly a bit freaked out.

"He sounded serious,"

"I honestly couldn't tell." Rachel said with a non-committal shrug.

That was hardly reassuring. Those two seemed to know each other inside and out. Sora had never heard Bryan be that cryptic before. And if that speech surprised his _sister_ , was Sora in trouble? Rachel went back to the training castle shortly after.

Riku gave Sora a consoling pat on the shoulder. That made Sora uneasy. Yeah, the test to become a Keyblade Master couldn't possibly be easy or it wouldn't be worth it. Still, the way Bryan spoke was very uncharacteristic of him. Was he just trying to put Sora on edge? To see if he could shake him before an important battle? A psych-out tactic? Try and freak him out to test if he could work through it on the battlefield? Or was this truly going to be a fight unlike any he'd ever fought before?

* * *

" _He actually said that_?"

Lea and Kairi were told about the Mark of Mastery but weren't keyed into the details of what went on after until the next morning at breakfast. Neither Rachel or Bryan were there. That wasn't too much of a surprise. Rachel mostly stayed at the magic training castle so she wouldn't be in until probably just before the exam. Bryan was no doubt preparing for the showdown in his own way. This could of course range anywhere from careful meditation to just sleeping in.

"It was so out of character for him. I've never heard him so cryptic before." Riku commented. "I really don't think he was kidding."

"Wait a second," Lea said, piecing something together. "He's _never_ gone all-out on us before? What about the whole thing about going postal on a friend so you can do worse to an enemy?"

"Maybe that part when he spars with us is just for our benefit." Kairi suggested. "Bryan has already mastered it. You've seen the way he fights with Rachel and that's just for practice. And she's _family_. The very first time we saw them sparring when we first met them shocked us," Kairi said, referring to the morning after meeting the sibling Masters. She had seen Sora and Riku get serious in a scuffle before but Rachel and Bryan looked like they were deliberately trying to hurt each other.

"I get what you're saying but now I'm annoyed. And that poses another question: just how strong is he?"

"That's a scary point." Riku said.

Rachel and Bryan had long-since told their friends about when Master Yen Sid allowed them to choose a direction for their training as his apprentices. Rachel wanted to follow the path of sorcery. Bryan wanted to be the greatest swordsman and learn all talents and secrets of his Keyblades. Just how seriously had he taken his training and just how far had he gotten?

"Besides," Kairi continued. "Everything will be fine. Sora will do great. He'll pass the test and come out better for it."

"Yeah, sure," Sora agreed, although his conviction sounded shaky.

"Don't second guess yourself! You're strong and you can hold your own just fine!"

"It's just-."

"No 'justs'! You'll be great!"

"So now not only are you excited and nervous about the test, you're also mentally conflicted about how serious Bryan was about skinning you alive and wearing you as a coat."

Sora looked a little green.

"Riku!" Kairi scolded. "Stop winding him up!"

"But it's so easy."


	27. The Test

At last the time had come.

There was a large door off to the side of the training hall. Oddly enough, no one had ever noticed it before. Of course in a place soaked with magic in every pore, it could be that it didn't exist until a few minutes ago.

The arena was incredible. And huge! High above was a railed balcony that went all around the arena. Bryan was already waiting in the center. Master Yen Sid took a seat in a tall chair up on the balcony overlooking everything. Less than ten minutes later, everyone had arrived. Rachel and Riku stood to the right of Yen Sid. King Mickey, Donald and Goofy filed in to his left. Lea and Kairi weren't far behind. Once everyone was there, Master Yen Sid stood up, said a few words of formality and signaled the battle to begin when they were ready. Donald and Goofy especially made sure to give plenty of loud good luck shouts from the balcony.

Sora had decided to fight with Ultima. This choice was justified by two key reasons. One, its power and two, its length. Sora hadn't been so blind not to pick up on that Bryan preferred long-range weapons. In fact, most of the Keyblades he owned were naturally long-range. The exceptions being ShowTime and SureShot. Picking something shorter might put him at a very distinctive disadvantage if Bryan could land a hit easier because he didn't have to try too hard to reach. And Sora was comfortable using weapons of all lengths so it didn't bother him any. Sure enough, the blade Bryan called was Cross Cut, a copper and turquoise mechanical-looking weapon known for its defensive powers. It was also very balanced and could be maneuvered with fluid ease.

The two boys bowed formally and took their stances. Sora took the initiative and attacked first. It was zero to sixty right off the bat. If Bryan hadn't been kidding about showing just how apocalyptic he could be, there would be little point in easing into the fight. The fight began no differently than an intense sparring match. But the atmosphere was far more charged and competitive. And although he knew he had the support of his friends, Sora tried not to think about them up on the balcony. Were they really that quiet as they watched or was he really good at keeping his focus on the task at hand?

Between the two of them it was like watching a fight scene from The Matrix. They were quick and light on their feet. Blows were hard but controlled. Ducks and dodges were swift and agile. You might've thought they both grew up as hard-core gymnasts the way they wove around each other so easily and fluidly to avoid getting hit. They were each familiar with the others battle styles so the dance between action and reaction was quite spectacular.

Once Sora off-set the power of a blow Bryan was trying to land by tightly encasing Ultima with Wind magic. He had to show he could use magic effectively as well as efficiently as well. And just using spells to present a strong offensive as he had usually done couldn't be the only tactic he used. Now he kinda hoped he'd been asking Merlin or Rachel for more practical uses of spells other than just the elements within the Keyblade. Yeah, he'd learned a lot from Merlin's lectures as well as some transformation magic. However, he was having trouble thinking about how that could help. Becoming a bird to evade an attack could be useful; or turning Bryan into a squirrel just to be funny and prove he could do it.

Then an opportunity presented itself Sora would've been crazy to pass up. He saw a space that he would only have a split second to grab. But he took it. And he nailed it. Sort of.

After an exchange of blows and Sora took his shot, Bryan jumped back and skidded to a stop. He held his left hand across his back with a disbelieving dropped jaw and an almost offended look on his face.

"Did you seriously just-? You didn't-! Are you for real!" He sputtered. He looked annoyed but also a little impressed.

Nailed it. Sora had just used a technique Rachel and Bryan introduced to Sora, Riku and Kairi during their very first meeting. The first time they sparred together, Rachel and Bryan would tap on their opponent wherever they saw an unprotected spot. The tap was just to show they had found a weakness and they could have taken advantage of it but had the control to do nothing. Sora had done what he could to implement this technique in his own training as Master Yen Sid had instructed them to. Sora made sure to keep an eye out for openings regardless of who he fought but couldn't always land the hit either because of being caught in the act or seizing the opportunity in time before it passed. But this time it worked better than he hoped. He nudged Bryan on the back of his shoulder a little harder than he meant to but Sora didn't actually take the shot when he saw it. And Bryan's reaction was all the confirmation that he'd done well that he needed.

But now Bryan had a look that spoke loud and clear he wasn't about to let that happen again. Sora would of course try to repeat the action but was satisfied that he'd proven he at least _could_ do it in the event he couldn't do it again that fight. Bryan swung around Cross Cut a few times. They squared off then started again.

Some parts of the battle were a vague blur to Sora. No thought; only action and reaction. Looking back, Sora would think of it as a good thing. It meant his mind and body were so comfortable with combat there was no need to put strenuous amount of thought into planning his next move. Obviously that was no way to go about all fights all the time but it did have its own merit in its own way.

Bryan started the challenge of the next round by starting with high jumps and letting gravity do its work to help bring down a harder strike. Sora did the same. They often met in mid-air and had seconds to strike before they came back down. It wasn't easy changing direction mid-air; never was. But that didn't stop Sora from holding his own just fine. With a bit of Wind magic to give himself additional lift, Bryan leapt high in order to come down hard.

Sora saw his chance and took it. With a sharp blow of Ice magic, a large slick patch formed on the ground. It was huge and perfectly polished and no doubt very slippery. Sora couldn't help but feel triumphant at Bryan's look when he realized what was likely to happen once he touched down. But that was turned on its head. Like a classic cartoon character, Bryan drew his legs up like skidding to a desperate stop. And he did.

"Hey!" Sora cried.

Bryan caught himself in flight so he was floating just inches above the ice trap.

"Anything goes," Bryan reminded.

Couldn't argue with that but that didn't stop him from feeling a little annoyed about it. Not that he could be blamed. After all, who likes to have a genius idea trumped before it can really be enjoyed? Still, Bryan's look of surprise and that fleeting flicker of panic when you realize you have to make a critical decision and only a split second to make it was rewarding in of itself.

Suddenly the floor shook, causing them both to freeze. What was happening? Judging by the look on Bryan's face, he didn't know about this part either. But Bryan still had his feet off the ground so what did he care? Rock stalagmites of all sizes and heights started erupting randomly across the field. Since Bryan was just as surprised as he was, Sora just assumed this was a bump in the road Master Yen Sid had planned to keep them on their toes and demonstrate how they could adapt. This part wasn't that bad. A different terrain, no big deal. Of course not all the formations were stable. A rock you planned on using to give yourself a thrust forward for a strong attack could crumble under your weight and off-set everything. It wasn't until after they took a second to catch their breath before squaring off for the next round did the next twist present itself.

Bryan rolled his shoulders cockily. His smarmy grin put Sora on edge. But was he just trying to psych him out or did the Master really have a plan? The answer turned out to be the latter. Bryan straightened up and held out his left hand to his side, like he was expecting someone to his left to give him something. He never broke eye contact with Sora. After a few seconds, Sora noticed Rachel on the balcony out of the corner of his eye (how he managed to notice such a subtle action surprised even him). She had closed her eyes and her whole body relaxed with a calming sigh. What woul-?

Then something glittered in Bryan's other hand. It was one of Rachel's Keyblades! Bryan now had Cross Cut and the shimmery, icy blade, Frozen Heart!

"Oh _come on_!" Sora could help but exclaim. " _Really_?!"

Rachel must have understood Bryan's gesture when he held out his hand and relinquished her hold on her half of their Keyblade. For another round Bryan fought while dual-wielding. It did seem a little unfair but the rule was 'anything goes'. Rachel and Bryan shared a Keyblade so each had the ability to carry both halves because it technically belonged to them. He had the ability so it was within the rules to make use of it. It was tiring to deflect attacks coming from two weapons but Sora got through it with minimal bruises. Thank goodness Bryan wasn't trying to swing any faster. That would have been tough.

After a few minutes of this they both jumped back to catch their breath. Ultima flowed with healing magic. This was getting tiring but he couldn't stop until Master Yen Sid said so. He hoped healing wouldn't be looked down on. He would have used it in any tough battle against strong Heartless or other opponents so he couldn't see why not. Is this how Bryan really would've fought all the time? Or did he plan on adding all these different fighting methods on purpose to challenge Sora in all ways of combat all at once? Both seemed likely. Although the latter would've been incredible considering Bryan only had about a day ahead of time to plan.

Bryan jumped back to deliberately gain distance between himself and Sora. Oh great, what big plan did he have this time? The Master held his arms out wide to his sides. With a sharp twist of each wrist, both Keyblades lit up then changed. He'd switched blades? Kinda. Cross Cut and Frozen Heart had given way to two very different silver Keyblades. But Sora recognized them. He'd only seen them a few times but he knew what Bryan was doing. He now held both halves of No Shortcuts. It came as no surprise when Bryan snapped the pieces together and made the Keyblade whole.

Of course that added a new dimension that surprised Sora. With a whole weapon Bryan took to battle with a renewed fervor. Was he subtly using Curaga too or was he seriously not getting tired? The battle continued like this for several minutes. For the most part Bryan kept his feet on the ground but didn't hesitate to fly when he thought it best suited him (or when it was clearly irritating for Sora). But just as they were getting into their combative swing again, Bryan changed the tune again.

He gained distance then Bryan unsnapped the two halves. They came apart as the pieces of No Shortcuts, but with a twist of the wrist became ShowTime and the Bass Blade. Huh? The music blade and the balloon hammer? What could he be thinking with those two dramatically different weapons? Everything Bryan had done so far had been obviously deliberate so there was no chance this was a mistake.

The battle commenced. Only with a whole new degree of difficulty now that Bryan was dual-wielding again. All things considered though, Sora felt like he was doing all right. He had to be twice as fast and light on his feet in order to avoid the blows. But he couldn't stay on the defensive either. The first opportunity he found, Sora switched to the attack. But with two Keyblades to use as a shield Bryan was hard to land a hit on. That didn't concern Sora much. The idea of this test was to show how good he could battle. He wouldn't have to beat Bryan, just do really well in the fight to show how his powers and skills had grown.

Bryan was tough. There was no question about that. Although several wrenches had been thrown at him to catch him off guard, Sora couldn't disagree that fighting him was the best choice for the Mark of Mastery. For parts of the battle Sora completely forgot he was doing this for a purpose. The banter between Keyblades and their wielders was by no means a cakewalk but it felt right. Their blows were evenly matched, magic and brawn despite the fact Bryan was using two weapons. They fell into a rhythm where they each gave it all they had.

But what Bryan was about to unleash was going to shock and astound everyone.

Sora dodged a powerful blow but was surprised when the achromatic blade he was expecting to have to evade a swing from just kept sailing passed him. The Bass Blade had been hurdled like a spear to the ground. There the end embedded itself deep in the floor. The Keyblade stood perfectly upright and hummed like a tuning fork. But…why would Bryan throw away his best weapon at a pinnacle point in the fight? Bryan without the Bass Blade was like Merlin without Archimedes. Like Aladdin without Abu. Like Wakka without his blitz ball. It just didn't happen and made no sense to think about.

Not without a reason. And, oh boy, there was a reason.

As previously explained, Bryan had long-since had a focus of his training as a key bearer on becoming the best swordsman he could be as well as unlocking the secret powers of his various Keyblades. And now was one of those times when it could all be brought together.

' _The shock wave had struck the Keyblade and bounced back, creating a concussive sound wave. No surprise, really, it was called the_ _ **Bass**_ _Blade after all.'_

That was the first time his first and favorite Keyblade revealed its true colors.

' _Bryan stood stunned for a moment as his Keyblade reverberated with the impact tremor. Once in a while the Bass Blade would make the sounds of a banged drum when it hit things but it had never sung on its own after a hard hit_.'

That clued him in that what had happened was not a one-off. And since then the Bass Blade's special gifts intrigued him to unlocking them all. But there was also the special reason the musical blade was paired up with the circus prize.

The key that tied it all together,

" _Showtime's really good at hitting things."_

Bryan soared by. He wasn't aiming at Sora at all. Sora was close. He could have easily brought down a blow but he was too baffled by what the heck Bryan could possibly be doing to follow up on it. Sora secured his footing, ready for anything. Or at least he thought he was.

Riku jumped a little when Rachel gasped sharply beside him seconds before the blow. All eyes quickly glanced her way. She realized what her brother was planning. With a quick swish of her hand she put a protective spell around her egg and lifted her feet from the ground in flight. She knew what was coming and prepared for it best she could with only milliseconds to spare.

It was like watching in slow motion. Bryan came in close to where the Bass Blade was anchored. He braced his footing. Then, like from a story of John Henry's Hammer, Bryan put all his strength into a mighty swing and brought down a powerful blow against the shaft of his first blade. And then the grand finale. The thing that brought the whole plan together.

'… _the Bass Blade was still filled with the power of the percussion. When struck, there was nowhere for that power to go but out_.'

The sound was incredible. It was deafening. And yet it was so loud you could hardly hear it. A massive soundwave exploded from the Bass Blade. The stones on the arena were immediately obliterated into dust. The room shook. It was made worse because the sound was trapped within the magic walls so it bounced off again and again for almost a minute before losing strength completely.

Sora was quite literally blown away. At the initial impact, the force sent Sora tumbling until he managed to secure his Keyblade in the ground and use that to anchor himself. He wasn't exactly certain when it ended. His whole body tingled strangely. Everything had that prickle like a few minutes after your leg regains circulation after falling asleep. Is it a tickle or millions of agonizing needle pricks? Even his _hair_ felt numb. And that wasn't even possible! He couldn't hear anything either. No kidding. It was no different than being in the front row of a concert then going home a little deaf for a while. Sora relied on his Keyblade to pull himself up. Everything felt all buzzy and numb. Even his teeth itched. Dang that whole thing felt weird! Maybe that's what it would feel like if you took Novocain intravenously? _What had just happened_!? That kind of attack could level a mountain! He looked up at Bryan.

The Music Master had dropped to one knee after making the impact. But at the eye of the storm and the cause of the concussive attack, Bryan was left virtually unscathed. He shook his head, perhaps trying to rattle the ringing out of his ears. He took hold of the Bass Blades' handle and pulled it from the floor so smoothly it might've made you think it had just been stuck in a pat of butter.

" _WHAT WAS THAT!?"_ Sora demanded as he got to his feet. Or at least the best he could on jelly bones. "AM I SHOUTING?"

"YES!" Bryan yelled back. Not because he too couldn't hear but he correctly guessed that at the moment Sora couldn't. "You have no idea how long I've wanted to try that!" He was positively beaming.

" _WHAT_?"

" _TELL! YOU! LA-TER_!"

Bryan stood at-the-ready, waiting for Sora to recover enough to continue. He wasn't such a poor sportsman to kick a man while he was down. But the sooner Sora could get back to the fight on his own the better off he'd be. If this had been a real fight against an enemy that really wanted to hurt him, he very likely would not have offered the same curtesy. Sora stood up and used Curaga. Immediately a soothing wave of relief swept over him. He still couldn't hear normally yet but at least he could feel his fingers grip his Keyblade and walk without wondering if he left his feet behind.

The next round commenced only for about a minute before new sound entered the arena. A sound of three claps. It was like all sound in the entire arena halted. Sora looked to the balcony. Master Yen Sid had stood up. It was over. Over on a good note, right? A thought fluttered across Sora's mind; how long had they been at it? Fights never _ever_ last as long as they feel like they do. Totally not important at the moment but the thought had managed to worm its way in all the same. But now that his focus was elsewhere, Sora could feel just how tired he'd gotten; even with frequent healing.

Both Sora and Bryan had stopped fighting and faced the sorcerer. It was like waiting for the last number of the lotto to be called when all the rest had so far matched up. Everyone else in the balcony seemed to be holding their breath with the same anticipation.

"I have seen all that I needed. Your performances were both remarkable. You may recall, Sora, I once told you that you indeed deserved the honor of becoming a Keyblade Master after your first test in the sleeping worlds. I stand by that. Your powers have grown impressively, as you have just demonstrated here today. So, it is now with great pleasure that I name you the newest Keyblade Master!"

Donald and Goofy went totally ballistic. They led the charge to the stairs, laughing and crying out happily, followed closely by King Mickey and Kairi.

No one can predict how they will react when given good or exciting news. You expect that happy news will make you happy. Sora felt like his brain had been hit by a bus. He wanted to jump and holler and celebrate. Yet at the same time the joy was paralyzing. The two conflicting ends of the euphoria spectrum were incredible and mind-numbing at the same time. It was a great honor that left him ecstatic but his mind still was trying to stretch around the concept a little further before it could be accepted as real.

"Hey," Bryan's voice snapped him back to earth.

"I can't believe it…this is really real."

"You bet it is," Bryan had already dismissed both of his weapons. "You did good, Sora. You earned this. It means you get to play with the big boys now."

Sora turned to Bryan with a smile. He had him to thank for this as much as he did his own skills. As tasking as the test was, Bryan forced him to fight and defend all sorts of different ways. If he hadn't, they might still be fighting until Master Yen Sid had seen more of Sora's skill set to have peace of mind Sora had learned and could utilize his strengths. They faced each other and fist-bumped like bros just in time before Donald and Goofy tackled hugged Sora. Bryan just took a step back and watched. Sora barely had a chance to sit back up before Kairi took her turn with a congratulatory hug.

The hurdle had been jumped. The mountain had been climbed. Sora had at last earned the noble rank of Keyblade Master. That was more than enough reason to celebrate. Riku was of course included in this too. Belated but deserving all the same. There was no time for friends to gather over such an occasion in light of Xehanort's scheming looming so fresh over their heads after the first Mark of Mastery. True, Xehanort could reign mayhem and unrest somewhere in the next five minutes. But it wasn't like a deserving celebration for friends would turn into a weeklong event where all other responsibilities played second-fiddle to fun.

That evening Sora was in his room alone; dreamily looking out his window. The fight and the simple party that followed left him feeling drained (mostly from the fight). He was certain the next day he'd be moving very tenderly as the bruises and exerted muscles had time fully realize the beating they had taken. Despite this, the amazing honor of becoming a Keyblade Master charged his mind like a lightning strike. How could he sleep or relax at a time like this? The metal of the shiny adornment Sora had in his hand was uniformly warm from being held for so long. Right after the exam, Master Yen Sid had given him the emblem of the Keyblade Master. He'd seen the one Riku had gotten and, before knowing what it was, noted that Rachel and Bryan had one each since they first day he met them but didn't ask at the time if it meant anything. Now he had one of his own to signify his status as Keyblade Master. Sora wouldn't ever get tired of saying it.

A knock on his door shook Sora from his thoughts.

"C'min,"

Sora turned when he heard the door open. It was Kairi who came through.

"Hey, Kairi, what's up?"

She smiled and stood by him by the window. "I just wanted to come by and say congratulations again." Kairi took his arm and rested her head on his shoulder. "I'm so proud of you, Sora."

Sora tilted his head against her head. "Thank you, Kairi. Hmm?"

Kairi had just slipped something in his hand. Sora looked at it, then at her. It was her Wayfinder good luck charm; the same one she gave him on their first adventure. It was an exceptional trinket as it had since then become a key chain that formed Oathkeeper. He looked at her.

"What's this? Isn't this yours? You gave me and the others a Wayfinder of our own for Christmas, remember?"

"Yeah, but that one was made _for_ you. This is the one I made for myself. Now I'm giving it to you because I want to. It's special to me but so are you. And this is such a special occasion; it seemed the right thing to do to give you the most special thing I had. You took such good care of it before and I know you will always keep it safe. Besides, you'd better take care of it in case I ever want it back!"

Sora laughed and held her close. "I will. I promise. Thank you, Kairi."

* * *

TOOK ME OVER A FRIGGIN' WEEK TO WRITE THIS SO YOU GUYS BETTER APPRECIATE IT!

Sorry. Fight scenes are just really, really hard.

I'm going to go find a cozy corner and pass out now. This drained me a lot more than difficult chapters usually do. Hopefully I did please be gentle with criticisms and questions.


	28. Meanwhile

_Meanwhile_

* * *

Aiden mulled about in the main potion room by himself. Rachel had left a while ago and already he was bored. He had no idea how long she was going to be. Apparently Sora was going to be tested in the way a key bearer would to become a true Keyblade Master. Swell deal for Sora, but lame for Aiden.

He hated being by himself. After getting a taste of wanted company and friends, Aiden never wanted to be alone again. Even if it was just going to be a few hours he didn't like being in the big castle with nothing to do but try and figure out what to do next. Might as well try a new potion. Would at least keep him focused on something other than the clock.

Tatania kept him company. Only she wasn't the best conversational companion. He tried not to talk to her. He felt crazy talking to a cat when all she did was stare or look bored. And mostly all she wanted was cuddles and confirmation she top cat.

Feeling confident, Aiden looked for a more advanced potion book and decided to look for something out of that. And by _decide_ , I mean let the book fall open and try whatever the page opened up to. It looked tricky but he felt he could do it.

Oh boy was he wrong.

Not even twenty minutes had passed since he began that it became obvious something wasn't right. The color of the potion didn't look right. It wasn't bubbling the way the book said it should. Aiden turned down the heat, hoping that would keep it from boiling over while he tried to figure out what he'd done wrong. So far he couldn't find a step that he'd missed or done incorrectly, so what was going on? Had an ingredient gotten old? Had an instrument not been cleaned properly? Was the residue of a previous project gunking everything up? How was he supposed to confirm that?

And then, without warning, it exploded.

Aiden ducked the best he could with such little warning time. It sounded like a cannon going off. The room shook with the sound. The area immediately around him turned dark purple with smoke that had blasted out of the cauldron. It faded quickly and left behind the smell of ripe bananas. Then silence.

After several very long seconds, Aiden very slowly opened his eyes and uncurled himself from a tight cringe. _What the crap just happened_?! Wait a second, what did that just do? He looked at his hands: still normal. Then he patted down his torso and legs. So far still normal. No odd textures, colors or limbs missing or added. The world was still in color and looking in a mirror confirmed his eyes were still blue and gold and his hair was still striped. Phew. Wait…

"Test, test," Okay, good. His voice hadn't changed either. So nothing had happened.

Well, nothing he could see. Still, if the only ill-effect was his liver was now orange he could live with that. But that didn't make any sense. How could a potion go that wrong, make such a boom and not do anything? Oh but it did, it really, really did. Just as Aiden was about to conclude nothing was amiss, he was proven devastatingly wrong.

"Why did you do that!"

Aiden was just about jolted clean out of his skin when the sharp female voice scolded him. He turned to face the voice, got an eyeful of what happened and immediately turned away again, covering his eyes with his hand. It was a girl. A very pale, very, naked girl. What had he done!

"Um…sorry, I, uh-I didn't see anything."

"Look what you did!" She scolded again.

"I really would rather not."

"This is strange. I don't think I like it. Where is Missy? She'll fix it."

"Listen, I don't know who you are, how you got here or who Missy is-."

"Yes you do."

"Look, I'm sorry for whatever I just did but I don't know any Missy and I don't know you!"

"Yes you do!"

"No I don't!"

"Missy will be very upset to hear you say that. And so am I. I don't know if I like you anymore."

Aiden, very reluctantly, lowered his hand to get a better look at the girl; focusing very intently on keeping his gaze up. But she didn't seem to be applying any effort to cover up. It was like it didn't bother her at all. She looked about fourteen or fifteen at best. The girl had extremely fair skin, almost white without looking unhealthy. Her hair was long, thick and a shiny inky black. But the big realization came in her eyes, eyes that were a sharp jade green.

"T-Tatania?"

"Hmm? Oh yes, that's what you call me. It's such a pretty name. I think Missy said it was inspired by the name of a fairy queen in a story."

"Missy…you mean, Rachel?"

"The nice pretty girl who raised me since I was a kitten? Yes. I call her Missy. She's my Missy. Where is my Missy? Bring her back."

Oh crap. Oh crap, oh crap. _Did he seriously turn Rachel's cat into a human girl_!? Now seemed like a fine time to panic. How was he supposed to fix that!? What would Rachel think? Would she be mad? He could explain it was just a disastrous accident, right? She'd get that. It wasn't like everything she ever tried worked perfectly so she would understand a mistake. Right? After all, she once accidentally turned him into a bug and he forgave her. Oh! Hope! A lot of spells wore off after a while! If he couldn't find a counter potion, Tatania should return to her normal self after a while, right? Oh boy, he hoped so.

But…* _gulp_ *. Could there be the chance this was permanent? What if he turned Tatania into a girl forever! That was a thing, right? Magic that really was irreversible? That wouldn't be good. Rachel would really not be happy if whatever he'd done couldn't be reversed. If it couldn't be reversed, she'd probably take it up with the sorcerer. He could fix it, but he'd want to know how she messed up so bad she needed his help. If she could come up with a believable story that didn't involve him, great. Even if she did, he'd probably get turned into a cat himself, complete with bell collar and a ball of string all his own for causing all the trouble.

He had to fix this. And fast! There was no way of knowing how long it would be until she came back from the Mark of Mastery or how long she would stay around after. If he could make everything back to normal before Rachel came back, no one would be the wiser and his tail wouldn't get fried. Of course…there was a matter just as pressing as changing Tatania back into a cat.

"Um…do you mind putting something on?"

"Why?"

"Because you're naked and you really shoul-."

"Oh, you mean you want me to put on those funny pieces of cloth you humans wear? I can see why you do. You're all covered with so much skin it's embarrassing. And cold. I'm cold. I've never been cold before. I don't like it. Fix it. Warm me up."

Tatania slipped in close to him and snuggled. The way and speed Aiden leapt away from her would've made you think a leper had just leaned in for a French kiss.

"Hey, uh, hey, um, you know what? Getting some clothes on would make you feel warmer. There's no need to-to try and, uh, get so close."

"You never minded before."

"Well that was when you were a cat and no clothes didn't matter-and hang on a minute. How can you talk so well? You're a cat!"

"I know. Strange, isn't it? How do humans walk? I'm tired of this spot. I want to be over there now."

"No! You're staying right there until I find you something to cover up with." Aiden super-walked to a cupboard where lots of lab coats were folded up.

While trying to stay focused on a brick on the ceiling and not touching _anything_ on her, Aiden got the coat on Tatania. While it was baggy and she looked at him with a sour look of displeasure Tatania didn't verbally complain. But cats had plenty of ways to express they were not pleased with something.

"Stop looking at me like that! I'm going to try and fix this!"

"Well hurry!"

Aiden had never worked while under such duress before. The pressure was not fun. It was hard to focus on what he should be looking for and how to find it with the looming threat of Rachel coming back any time. Yes, there was always the chance she'd just be surprised and a bit upset but all would be well and quickly forgiven. On the other hand…this could end with him using a litter box for the rest of his life. And he didn't want to ever find out how it felt to cough up a hairball. It didn't help that Tatania hadn't quit with the stink eye.

Maybe there was an all-purpose reverse spell or something? Yes! Took long enough to find it but it did exist. Only some of the ingredients he wasn't familiar with. Great. Time to make use of the mammoth ingredient glossary to figure out what he was looking for. He'd be jumping all over the place getting this stuff. This day sucked.

"Are you done yet?"

"A little patience, please."

"I don't like being like this. It makes no sense to be this big. Why do you humans need to be so big? It's silly. And I'm getting worried about us."

"Trust me, so am I. There's every chance I'm not getting out of this unscathed either."

"What are you talking about? Why would I be talking about you?"

"You said 'us'."

"I know."

"If not you and me, then who?"

"Me and them."

"You and-?"

Aiden stopped what he was doing to look at her, confused. Only he found her sitting up on the table with her arms crossed across her stomach. It took him a second, but he figured it out.

"Oh! You mean you're-?"

Tatania giggled then quickly held her hand over her mouth. "Ooh! That was a strange sound! What was that? How did I do that? Does that sound have a purpose? What's it for?"

"Does Rachel know?"

"Missy doesn't know. I only knew for certain not long ago. We cats are sensitive to these things early on."

"But…but _how_? There aren't any other cats around here. Are there?"

"Missy took me to a-a-a…what do you humans call it? It wasn't home. It was a lot different."

"Do you mean a different world?"

"Sounds right, I think. It looked nothing like home with people I didn't know. That strange thing Missy and not-Missy use to fly got us there."

"Who's 'not-Missy'?"

"Missy's litter-mate. Sometimes I used to sleep with him…but that was before he let that fire beast into my home. Now I can't because that ugly fire thing that shares his bed won't let me."

Aiden felt a lurch in his stomach. Did 'fire thing' mean Axel, well, Lea? He specialized with fire, right? He hoped not, that would be weird. Then again, she didn't exactly speak in the clearest English. She didn't know how to describe a different world, or the flying pirate ship that could cross worlds and described Rachel's 'brother' as a 'litter-mate'. But she was too focused on finishing her story to be paused to clarify what 'fire thing' was.

"The flying thing was terrible. I liked the girls Missy brought me to but I got bored so I explored. Along my way I found a handsome Tom. He was pleasant and clean so we-."

"Please don't share!" Details he didn't need. It was bad enough to have turned a friend's cat into a person, he didn't need to hear about cat-girl's romantic escapades, especially considering she only looked about fourteen. "So…uh," He wanted to redirect the topic if he could. "How long ago was this?" Aiden wondered if she was talking about that time not long ago Rachel got one of her 'break' days and took Tatania back with her. Rachel had said she was going to see some off-world friends. Could it be the same thing?

"Hmph." Tatania turned up her nose. "Only humans care about the measurement of time. Cats do not trouble ourselves with such things. When we're hungry we eat. When we're tired we sleep. Are you finished? I wish to be my beautiful self again. What will Missy think if she sees me like this?"

"That Aiden is in serious trouble?" Aiden mumbled to himself.

* * *

"You're back!"

"Yes I am. Guess what? Sora passed! He's officially a Keyblade Master now!"

"Really? That's, uh, that's great. That's really great."

"You okay? You look a little flushed. Have you been running?"

"Running? No. No, of course not. Why would you ask?"

Rachel looked at him oddly but left without asking. Once she was gone, Aiden slumped against the wall. Bullet dodged. More like firing squad dodge. Everything had been taken care of and cleaned up. Apart from a flowery smell in the potion room, there was no evidence anyone had been in there all day. So his butt was in the clear. If anyone asked, he could honestly say he had cleaned up a potions accident.

Just as the last bit of relief crashed through him like a tidal wave, little footsteps went _tup tup tup_ down the hallway. Tatania came down the hallway no differently than she did every day. She stopped and looked up at him.

"Don't you _dare_ drop a hint to her in _any_ way! I don't know how you even could but _don't_!"

Tatania looked up at him with rather disinterested eyes. It was obvious the Tower cat was a lot smarter than the average feline but Aiden still had a terrible nervous hook in his stomach that she might surprise him with just how well she could express herself. If that were true, could she be trusted to keep a secret? At least she hadn't retained her ability to speak when he changed her back.


	29. Days Go By

Riku commenced his ritual march around the training castle looking for Rachel. He'd just been in the training hall with Sora practicing with powers only usable by Masters. He'd had time to practice with those skills before but Sora was still pretty new to them. Besides, there was no such thing as too much practice. And Sora was getting really good at using some of those new powers and skills. Riku would have to ask Rachel when he found her about getting some of that paste stuff that sped up the healing process for bruising for himself.

The Atrium was usually a good place to start. Between that and the potion room, that was the place Rachel favored doing most of her magic practice. But along the way, Riku heard something from behind another door. The door wasn't shut completely. Riku put an ear to it. No sense just waltzing in and find out too late you interrupted something. Grunts and _hnmph_! sounds? Slowly Riku pushed the door open. To say he wasn't expecting what he saw would be quite the understatement.

Near the center of the room was Aiden…somewhat in mid-air. The way his body was twisted suggested he was caught in something; only Riku couldn't make out what it was that he was suspended by. Invisible strings? A half-baked hover spell? And he seemed to be having a great deal of difficulty moving.

"Are you okay?"

Aiden's whole body went tense. He couldn't turn his head very well but Riku could see his blue eye flicker with horror and embarrassment from being caught in such an undignified state.

"What happened?"

"Just walk away!"

Riku circled him twice. Even deliberately looking for shadows and light reflections, Riku could find no sign of anything that was actually holding Aiden up. But the way he was positioned looked like he was tangled in a net or something. It looked quite uncomfortable. Aiden was glaring daggers at him the whole time.

"How did you manage to get up there?"

"It was a suicide attempt. I misread the instructions." Aiden snapped rudely. His irritable mood was rather understandable, considering.

"Can you get down?"

"Don't you think I've tried that!"

"What exactly were you trying to do?"

Aiden muttered something but Riku couldn't make it out.

"What?"

"I was trying to use new magic _okay_! And it…didn't work."

"I'll say."

"This was _nothing_ like what was supposed to happen and I have no idea how to fix it." Aiden sounded like he'd rather try and swallow a thistle than admit just how stuck he was.

"What if you just-?"

"NO DON'T!"

Riku reached above Aiden and actually managed to wrap his hand around something solid even though he couldn't see it. It was just like a piece of fishing line. He gave it the tiniest tug and Aiden freaked out. Not without reason. The second Riku touched the string the whole of Aiden's upper body flailed. Riku jumped back, startled.

"Don't do that!"

"What just happened!"

"That's what happens! I don't know what it is. But everything is all twisted up. I try to stretch my leg, I nearly break my neck. I try to turn my head; I nearly put myself in a half-nelson. I don't think that's even possible but I think it could happen. And that's when I _can_ move. I'm afraid I'll snap myself in half backwards if I move too much."

"I think we're in agreement that you're stuck."

"Your powers of observation are frightening and awe-inspiring."

"And you can't move."

"I just said that!"

"You don't know when or if it will wear off?"

"Kinda goes without saying, doesn't it, genius?"

"So…if you're in a tight spot, but not asking me to help you, then I guess I'm not sure what I'm still doing here." Riku shrugged. "Guess I'd better find something useful to do elsewhere." He started to walk away.

"Don't leave me here!"

"Oh? Why?"

"I can't get out of this by myself!"

"I'm getting that."

" _Well?!"_

"Well what?"

"You're really going to make me say it, aren't you?" Aiden's eyes were narrowed dangerously and his whole body trembled with fury.

"You could always wait for Rachel to find you. She's sure to be able to get you down. I'll go find her for you."

"No! It's bad enough that you found me, I don't need her to see this too!"

"I'll say."

Aiden glowered at him. "I-." He choked. "I…FINE! I need you to help me get down! THERE! I said it! Now get me down!"

"Sorry, didn't catch that."

"I need you to help me!"

"See? Not so hard once you give it a try."

"I hate you."

"So how'd that taste to say?"

"Like vinegar."

"Asking for help is not a sign of weakness. Or is it just me?"

"You already know the answer."

"What were you trying to do?"

"It was just a levitation spell! I swear! I don't know how it went so wrong."

"And every time you move or a string is touched-."

" **DON'T**!"

Riku absentmindedly reached out again and gently brushed the invisible strings. Instantly Aiden was snapped up into a super tight fetal position, his kneecaps smashing into his cheekbones.

"OW!"

"Sorry!"

"Oh! Ow!"

"I am so, so sorry about that."

"When I get out of this-!"

"How is the promise of injury an incentive for me to help you?"

"And what tune would you be singing if it were you?"

"Fair enough. If it helps, I know where Rachel keeps something that helps heal bruises. We can get that for you before the bruise starts showing and makes you look like a raccoon."

"If that's all the help you're going to be, I'll take my chances with it wearing off."

"We'll figure this out."

"Before I'm in pieces?"

"Maybe these threads can be cut. If they all give way at once, nothing can pull you around, right?"

"And if they _can't_ be cut? After you've struck _all_ of them at once? I forbid you from trying. I'd like to stay right-side out."

"Just a second, I've got an idea."

"What is it? Tell me!"

Riku called his Keyblade.

"Hey, _hey_! What are you doing!" Aiden couldn't look around very well but his eyes were still darting about wildly as a side-effect of fearing for his own safety.

The end of Riku's Keyblade glowed orange with Fire magic. In no time at all, the end was completely covered in a tight fireball. Little tendrils of flame licked the air.

"What are you doing!"

"Setting the strings on fire."

"Are you sure that will work?"

"If I set them all on fire at the same time they should all burn through at the same time. If they all snap at once then you should just fall."

"All those 'shoulds' are making me very nervous."

Riku was confident so he gave it a shot. Keyblade alight, he held it above his head and focused on making the fireball bigger. Sure enough, the flames caught on the invisible threads like candle wicks. Aiden held his eyes shut tight in a wince, expecting the molested strings to protest violently, making him apart of their tantrum. But the theory worked better than Riku thought it would. The fire burned for about fifteen seconds then, almost simultaneously, the threads snapped. No ill-effects befell Aiden, except for the three-foot drop.

"See?" Riku said, letting go of his Keyblade. "Still in one piece and Rachel doesn't have to know what happened."

Aiden didn't say anything. He was on the floor massaging his face where he practically gave himself a double shiner with his own knees.

"Ow."

"I know where the salve is to fix that."

"You said that."

"So?"

"So what?"

"Well after an action of a kindness or useful service, in this case, both, a few words are usually given in exchange for said action and-or service."

"Oh yeah. Where'd you say that salve was?"

Riku wasn't really surprised when Aiden refused to say thank you. He'd already had to choke on asking for help, Riku should have expected him not to have the stomach to swallow thanking him too. Still, Riku could somehow sense the hostility displayed from him was now more about stubborn pride rather than venomous spite. And if that was the way Riku could get Aiden to warm up to him, he was fine with that. A step forward, even a slow or unorthodox one was still a step forward.

* * *

"Hey, Rachel?"

"Yo. Whatcha need?"

"I…I had a question."

"Sure thing. What's on your mind?"

"I was wondering, has…has my Heart Song changed?"

"Let's see."

Aiden stood in front of her and closed his eyes. He felt her put her hands on either side of his face. A moment later she pulled her hands away.

"Heh,"

"What does that mean?"

"I can't make anything out."

"What?" Aiden's stomach dropped.

"Oh, don't worry. It's not bad. It's just…I think, I think it's changing."

"Changing? That's good, right?" He held his breath as a new hope fluttered inside.

"That all depends on you. But I can't hear anything other than a jumble of words and melodies. I think your song's transitioning. I can't make it out because even your heart doesn't know yet what it wants to say next."

Aiden left walking on air. He still had to wait to hear his new song but until then, confirmation that the song was in fact changing was more than enough.

* * *

"Hey! Qu-quit it! Stop hitting-h-he-he-hey! You're only encouraging me!"

Aiden had been trying to expand the use of magic beyond just potion making. Rachel was of course more than happy to play professor and bestow her wisdoms to another magic enthusiast. However, all newbies ran into the same problems. All spells, no matter how simple had the potential for going very wrong. The lack of focus, skill or current magical capacity was usually the culprit. Aiden was no exception. This magic mishap resulted in his voice sounding like a clown horn every time he spoke.

Riku, very unceremoniously, couldn't keep his amusement under wraps and broke down laughing. Aiden couldn't chew him out like he wanted because a flow if irate words sounded like a platoon of clowns finding alternative ways of expressing their fury. So Aiden had little choice but to get physical trying to make Riku shut up. But blows hurt a lot less when you're laughing so hard you can't breathe. Rachel tried very hard not to smile, resulting in an odd frown and lip twitch from her efforts.

"Um…I-uh…if, if it makes you feel any better," Rachel had to pause to keep herself from chuckling. "One of my first spells went about as well."

"I'll, *snort* I'll ask on h-he-he-his behalf, what happened?" Riku laughed.

Aiden punched him in the arm as punishment for his snickering.

"I got rainbow pastel colored stripes on my arms that lasted for days. HEY! You knock that off right now!"

Physical violence wasn't getting the point across to Aiden's satisfaction so he settled for a rude gesture. His face was very pink with embarrassment and rage. He gave Rachel an apologetic shrug. After that he pointed to his throat then at his wrist, miming a watch.

"I have no idea how long it will take to go away. And I don't want to see you making gestures like that again."

* * *

"Listen, I'm sorry I laughed. But you have to admit, if it were anyone else, we'd be waking you up with smelling salts right now because you'd've passed out from oxygen deprivation from laughing so hard. _Especially_ if it had been me."

The wonky voice thing did get fixed after a while but Aiden was still furious at Riku for laughing the way he did. Aiden still had his wall of pride up between him and a more open friendship with Riku. At the moment, that wall prevented the amusement of his embarrassing blunder to be seen as anything less than a direct insult.

"Well it _wasn't_ you, was it?" Aiden snapped. Maybe more actual magic wasn't quite his speed after all. Apart from the incident with Tatania there had yet to be a major potion disaster.

"It's not like you're the only one who's ever had a magic mishap."

"What would you know? You don't use magic like she does."

"Of course I do."

"What? Since when?"

"Since before you came here. I just don't use it as prolifically as she does. I know some transformation magic and other spells. I'm just more of a fighter than a magician."

"Why would you even learn any kind of magic then?"

"As a Keyblade Master I need to be versed in all areas of strengths and magicks."

Riku could see Aiden bristle at the reminder he had the honor of becoming a Keyblade Master. There was the possibility Aiden might never get a Keyblade of his own. Even if he did, there was still the hurdle to be jumped to have him trained as a key bearer without the others questioning his resemblance to Riku. And that risked someone turning over the wrong rock and finding out where Aiden came from and his story. But the comment about being a Keyblade Master was obviously a turning point of their conversation and Aiden made to leave. But not before,

"…. _Goose_."

It took Riku a second to realize Aiden was addressing him. He turned slowly in his chair to face him. " _What_ did you just call me?"

Aiden grinned snidely. "I was just thinking about what Rachel said about the cobra and the mongoose. So I decided I was the cobra."

Riku stared at him. " _Really_? You seriously gave that further thought?"

"You were the one who asked her who was what."

"I really wasn't serious."

"Anyway," Aiden said, dismissing Riku had said anything. "I already decided."

"You do realize it's the cobra that tends to lose."

"Can't be worse than being something that has 'goose' in its' name."

"There is that…"

* * *

Kairi knocked on the large wooden door before entering the room behind it. The room was made of stone with a high ceiling and several long tables. Looks like she found the potion room Riku had described. He'd mentioned that place a lot so Kairi figured it wouldn't hurt to try there first. And, luckily she was right on the first try. Only, once she opened the door and closed it behind her she was surprised by a very bizarre sound.

Rachel was sitting at a table. Nothing odd about that. But what caught the princess' attention was a very loud something in front of her friend. It was smaller than a chicken, light gray and black and making an angry series of shrieks and caws.

"Hi, Rachel. What's going on?"

"Nothing!"

Odd she answered so quickly. Kairi took a closer look at the thing squawking on the table. It was a little wingless bird with skinny legs and long beak. It looked more furry then feathery. And even thought it was obviously irate about something, somehow that just added to its adorability.

"Aww! What is that?"

"It's called a kiwi."

"Oh! I've heard of those. But aren't they usually brown?"

"Yeah, um, I just…I wasn't expecting this to happen."

"Is that why it's so upset? Because you made it tiger-striped?"

But it only had stripes on its right side. Odd. And its beady black eyes seemed to catch blue and gold in the light. The kiwi paced on the table, squawking loudly, stamping its skinny feet and turning away from Rachel while kicking like it were scratching at sand. It was a lot like when a dog turns their back on another dog and kicks up dirt as a display of who is (or who thinks they are) in charge.

"It's okay, little guy," Kairi cooed as she got closer.

"I wouldn't do th-."

Kairi tried to calm the irate bird with a friendly scratch on the head but it squarked again and tried to peck her hand. The furious avian stomped across the table away from them and came to rest atop a big book. It sat down on the book, every feather afloof with rage. It scrunched its neck up as tight to its body as it could and scowled fiercely. Otherwise it was still and silent.

"Kinda looks like one of those marshmallow Peeps but with a beak."

It must have been able to understand her and didn't appreciate the humor because it stood up and resumed cawing aggressively.

"Okay, before we get a chance to learn if this thing knows Tai kwon do," Rachel waved her hands and in a big puff of dark green smoke the kiwi vanished.

Kairi didn't think much of it and right away changed the subject. For about an hour the two talked about everything that wasn't related to training. Girl time was important after all.

 _Later_

"WHY COULDN'T YOU HAVE DONE THAT IN THE FIRST PLACE!?"

After breakfast Rachel and Aiden made their usual trip to the potion room. After the tangled marionette and the horn voice incident, Aiden decided he'd hold back on learning new magic for a while and stick with what he knew he had a talent for. So he started a new potion while Rachel sat down the bench, holding her egg and using it as a prop for one of her journals while she wrote. They talked. He worked. She wrote. It was a nice, lazy morning. But all that was shattered when they heard a voice calling out for Rachel. And it wasn't Riku. Kairi had never come to the training castle before so her arrival was very unexpected and caught them off-guard. Explain why there's another person living at the training castle when there shouldn't be and not telling anyone? Nope. Explain how, even with unique differences, he so closely resembles Riku? That wouldn't fly at all.

Aiden had to hide. But in their sudden wave of panic, neither could think straight. There was a knock at the door. They had seconds! So Rachel acted on instinct and did the first thing that she thought of and turned him into an animal. But when you're under duress and not thinking of the specifics of a spell, the results tend to be random.

When Rachel cast the teleport spell, Aiden found himself back in his room and his human-self again. He'd dropped from about two feet onto his bed. He was grateful not to be that stupid fluffy bird anymore but equally annoyed that just making him go _poof_ to another part of the castle wasn't Plan A. After he was certain that Rachel was alone again, he marched downstairs to give her a piece of his mind.

"I panicked! I'm sorry!"

* * *

Aiden was startled awake by voices. He hadn't been feeling too great and tried lying down for a nap to see if that would help. The nap felt great and he did feel better, only the excited voices of Rachel and Riku snapped him back to the world of awakeness. He hadn't bothered going back to his room and had just gotten comfortable on the first cushy couch he could find.

"Oops!"

Apparently neither Rachel or Riku had noticed that he was there, let alone that he'd been sleeping.

"Sorry, didn't mean to wake you."

"Where did you guys come from?"

Rachel picked up a thick hard cover book that had been lying on a table. The center cover image featured a mermaid child sitting on a rock on a riverside and reaching out her hand to pet the nose of the unicorn leaning in to say hello. In the corners were clustered all sorts of magical creatures. In the bottom left corner, a dragon crouched over a pile of jewels. In the bottom right corner, a gryphon laying on her side with her cubs. Upper right, a fairy sitting on a string of bleeding hearts. Upper left, an armored knight on one knee before a beautiful princess. Aiden had seen that book before. Rachel wrote in it all the time.

It was a very special magic book. Whatever was written on its pages created a world within the book. Rachel and Riku had been inside it since before Aiden came in for a nap. They looked to have had a lot of fun in the story.

"I have a question," Riku looked at Rachel. "This has been bugging me. Just how much in your story world carries over into the real world?"

"What do you mean?"

"Like, if I was bitten by something venomous in there, would I still be in danger once I left the story world?"

Rachel had the look of someone who had never given something much thought before but was not deeply intrigued by it. Riku continued,

"It was a full moon, if Killian hadn't been able to keep his brother in check, what could have happened if Elliot had bitten either of us? Well…me? I'm not very comfortable with that look you have."

"Well, I-."

"You have no idea, do you?"

"I never really thought about it." Rachel admitted.

"What are you two talking about?"

"We met with a few characters of hers; brothers, Elliot and Killian."

"Elliot's a werewolf and Killian is a vampire. It was a full moon so Elliot wasn't quite himself."

"Mild understatement."

"Don't interrupt. For the most part he has a good handle on his faculties when he transforms. But sometimes things get a little out of hand. That's why his brother sticks to him like a cocklebur, using his vampire strength to keep things in check if it comes to that. And my head is starting to hurt with the point Riku brought up."

"You really have no idea if the magic is strong enough to carry over from the imagined world into the real one."

"Well up until a bit ago it never came up! My biggest wonder from the beginning is whether or not there's a way to bring these characters into real world somehow. Ooh! I really, really, really want to do that! If that could happen, I would totally be giving Kairi a pink fluffle lamb for her birthday."

"Gesundheit?"

"Another of her creations." Riku explained. "They're little sheep with colored wool. The herds look like a living rainbow."

Rachel laughed. Riku knew why and told her to stop laughing. So of course Aiden wanted to know what was so funny.

"The first time I took Riku to the pastures of Amethyst Farms-."

"Don't tell him that!"

"Hampster, the llamacorn saw him as an intruder and ran him off something fierce."

"You just had to say it. Your creatures just don't like me!"

"I guess I do see the pattern. Hampster jumped to the defensive, Javelin hates you-."

"A llama-what? Please describe so I can get a clear image."

"Hampster is a super-wooly llama with a magical horn. He's in charge of keeping the fluffle herd safe and doesn't take kindly to strangers. I was so sure Riku was going to get an impromptu piercing if I hadn't been able to call Hampster off."

"Knock it off!" Riku scolded Aiden, noting that glassy-eyed look people get when they're conjuring up an image in their head.

"Too late," Aiden smirked.


	30. Winging It

After a sparring session with Rachel one afternoon, Riku decided to use the castle shower. It wasn't as extravagant as the Tower but was perfect for taking long soaks. And under the steady _patter pruddle_ of a perfectly pressured showerhead made for some nice quiet time to think.

The two biggest things weighing on Riku's mind lately were of course the inevitable showdown with Xehanort, and what do eventually do with Aiden. Aiden had been told of course all about what had been going on with Xehanort and the problems he'd caused and the challenges that lie ahead. Though he hadn't come outright and said it, Riku knew Aiden would take up arms for the cause if they asked him. And all the help they could enlist certainly wouldn't hurt. But that still left the irritating, gnawing feeling of how to explain how this new guy resembled a younger Riku and carried the same weapon. Can't exactly claim he's a long-lost brother your parents gave up for adoption when your best friends know your parents. And Riku swore he could feel an ulcer starting every time he thought about the consequences of anyone finding out the truth about Aiden.

There had been nothing new regarding Xehanort either. And that was really starting to bother him. Was he lying in wait? Carefully planning something new? Did he already have a plan from the beginning and was just waiting to execute it while they squirmed in anticipation? Something could be in motion that very second, slowly sneaking up on them. The power and knowledge Xehanort had acquired over the years, who said he couldn't completely conceal his whereabouts and dealings if it suited him? But what then? Could it all be a psychological game? Legitimately do nothing for a long time just to put them on edge? Well that was starting to work. The phrase, 'no news is good news' certainly didn't apply here. No news in this case could easily mean something was directly behind you and ready to slit your throat with you never having a chance to flinch with surprise. Xehanort had proven before he could be an extremely patient man so the 'waiting them out' theory wasn't completely unjustified.

This topic was hardly new. However, the more it was discussed the worse it got. Everyone had their own possible explanations or questions to put forward. The more that seemed feasible, the more tangled the possibilities became. What if they'd guessed correctly about something? Or multiple somethings? That just made sorting out what path they should take even harder. And there was always the chance that kind of confusion was exactly what Xehanort had hoped to get them swept up in. With so many paths to take, which one do you choose? And how can you justify your decision so soundly you don't question yourself and make a blunder as the result? And if the decision you made was flat-out wrong? No need to imagine what that would result in.

But at the moment Riku was trying to forget all the worries and just enjoy the super hot water and relaxing massage-like pressure. He didn't know how long he'd been there but he didn't really care. That was until when he decided to leave and figured he should probably be getting back. Only Riku couldn't get going as soon as he'd like. After getting dry, Riku noticed the hamper he'd laid his clothes on was gone. At first he wondered if Rachel or Aiden had pulled something. But that didn't seem like the kind of joke Rachel would do. Heck of a time for Aiden to experiment with his mischievous side. But it wasn't that either. Riku remembered there were many magical similarities between the Tower and the training castle. In this case, the hampers became animate and walked off to wash anything that was put in (or on) them. Great! Now what was he supposed to do? Just mull around wrapped in a towel until it came back with his clothes? Yeah, like the options were so numerous. Fantastic.

Then there was a knock at the door. Even better.

"Riku?" Came Rachel's voice. "You decent?"

"Mostly." He answered in a resigned way.

"May I come in?"

"I guess."

Riku heard the door slide open and footsteps. Actually, more footfalls than one person could make. Sure enough, when Rachel caught up with him, Aiden was right behind her.

"Never fails, sun comes up and your three-foot shadow appears."

"Did you just call me short?"

"I was hoping you could help me with a new spell?" Rachel asked, cutting Aiden off.

"Me? Why not him? Let Tag-along be the lab rat."

"Oh, I'm going to." Rachel said. "Whether he likes it or not." She added.

"It couldn't have waited until I at least had a chance to dress to the nines?"

"I fail to see the problem."

"I'll bet you don't. And why are _you_ even here?"

"I'm hoping to see something amusing if she really screws this up."

"You might want to re-word that considering where we are and I'm only dressed in a towel."

Aiden had a look like he'd just been forced to bite into something bitter.

"C'mon, Riku. _Pleeeeeeeease_?"

Rachel laid her head against his bare shoulder. Riku didn't need to be looking to know she was giving him the pleading baby eyes. He sighed. She was rarely pushy and, although undignified at times, her spells hardly caused any real damage. And she was genuine when she pleaded. She didn't play up the cute face except for extreme measures. Why couldn't he turn her away when she looked so excited?

"If it really can't wait…"

"Yay!"

"Only for you."

Rachel laid her hands flat against his shoulder blades and muttered something. The point of contact got pleasantly warm as the spell was cast. Only,

 _PWWUUUUUUUSSHFFFF_!

There was a huge explosion of some white powdery stuff. The force wasn't extreme but it was enough to knock them all to their knees. There was a great deal of puffing and sputtering as they tried to breathe without inhaling whatever the powder was. It had the texture of baby powder but had no smell at all. Needless to say, they were all covered in it.

"W-wha-? * _ppppthhth_!* What was th- _hyat_!" Aiden wheezed as he sputtered and coughed.

"* _Peh_!* Blegh! Riku, I am so, so sorry! That, *peh* that was not sup- _hosed_ to happen."

Riku took a long, calming, deep breath. He looked himself over. "I _just_ took a shower."

"Y-eeeah. Does it make you feel any better that I di-heh-hehn't mean it?"

"So what _was_ supposed *cough* to happen?"

"It worked!" Rachel squeaked. "Oooooh!"

The spell, turns out, was a spell for wings. And although it (obviously) needed some refinements, it worked the way it was supposed to. Under all the powder they were still trying to shake off, Riku had large feathered wings. The feathers were the same color as his hair with sky-blue tips on the primaries. Only at the moment it just looked white.

"Pweety!"

"Glad you're amused." Under any other circumstance Riku would've thought the success of such a spell to be really cool and make the most of it immediately. But between the mood he started with and having to go through the rinse cycle again to get rid of the powder, he just wasn't feeling it. "Do you guys mind?"

"What? Oh! Of course. Aiden! Vamonos!"

So Riku had to shower a second time. Only this took longer and was a lot less relaxing. Well, actually it sucked. No matter how much he thought he'd shaken off before getting wet, the powder was like mixing flour and water. With a good scrub he could get it off his skin with relative ease. The feathers on the other hand were a nightmare. Riku hadn't quite figured out how to move the wings well yet. So, laden with water, were extremely heavy. And he couldn't lift them high enough or move them enough to shake the water off like chickadees in a birdbath. That would make the whole thing a lot easier. Here's hoping that _pwuffsshfff_ of powder wasn't what happened when a spell was made permanent (not like learning to live with it wouldn't be awesome in its own right).

"Need any help?"

Rachel stuck her head in again a while later.

"I think I got it now." Riku said. "You can come in so long as you stay on that side of the divider." During the second shower the hamper had returned with his clothes freshly laundered and folded.

"Again, I'm really sorry about the powder. I'm still trying to figure out what caused it."

"How you can get the result you want with still an unexpected side-effect?"

"In a nutshell, yes. You okay? I'm not the cause of the gloomy gus mood, am I?"

"It's just one of those days. It has nothing to do with you. In the time I've known you I still have to witness you doing something depressing. Did you try it on Aiden yet?"

"Yes. Though after what happened here he did have a few protests."

"Did it work?"

"About the same."

"What do his wings look like?"

"Far less impressive. He's not too happy about it. Can I come around now?"

Riku was in a bit of a conundrum. He didn't answer, which Rachel took to mean a yes. If he really didn't want her to come around he would've said so.

"Oooh! That is so cool." She snuggled up to him. "My angel. I am so trying this myself as soon as I figure out the powder thing."

"Why have wings? You can already fly."

"You okay?"

Riku had replied to her statement with a zoned-out, mind-is-obviously-elsewhere voice. He was still trying to sort out his newly discovered challenge.

"How am I supposed to get my shirt on?"

"Again, I fail to see the problem."


	31. Fourth Journal

_I wonder if I'm getting sick. I've never been sick before so I don't know what that feels like but if I had to guess this is pretty close. I had a bad stomachache a bit ago but nothing like this. I guess it started a few days ago during a sparring session in the training hall. The real thing and I were having a pretty intense fight. I can feel myself getting stronger. Fighting him this time was nothing like the first time or the battle started at the manor gates._

 _The fight was going great until I felt a weird muscle spasm on my side. It was so sudden and violent it distracted me and Riku landed a hard blow on my other side. So one side felt like it had gone rouge and the other was bruised. Not fun. The fight ended there. But what caused that spasm? I hoped that was just a freak occurrence and tried not to give it another thought. The real thing was sorry he nailed me so hard. I let him feel bad about it. But I know it never would have happened if that muscle thing hadn't been so bad._

 _So yeah, I felt sore for a while but I guess that was to be expected. But that wasn't the only thing I felt. Since then I've been feeling…off. I'm not even sure how to describe it. It's like something isn't aligned right but I have no idea what. Maybe that's just what being sick is like. Rachel said something a while ago about there being magic that makes you sick for like a week then you can't get sick again ever. I'll have to ask her about that and see if I might be able to use that. If I'm getting sick with something, I'd like it to be the first and only time._

 _The real thing I got wings for a while. That was pretty cool. Except the spell came with this big explosion of some kind of powder that was a trip to get off. Didn't really get a chance to enjoy them. It wasn't easy trying to make them move. But why? They were like these huge dragonfly wings. They were kinda shimmery and pretty cool. The right wings were tipped and striped with black, like my hair. It was weird though. I took my shirt off to see how the wings were attached, only to realize afterward the wings hadn't gotten in the way. Really weird. Rachel told me of a place called Pixie Hollow where everyone there is a fairy. Their wings are a lot like that too I guess. Wings can be touched, ripped or torn clean through but clothes and hair just go right through it like they weren't even there. Doesn't make sense to me but, hey, what do I know?_

 _Maybe if I could actually get a better feel for how wings worked it might be cool to have a set all the time. The spell wore off on both of us like most of them do but I guess it might be something to consider. After all, isn't flying something everybody dreams of?_

 _Rachel is a fantastic singer but she's weird about it. Sharing the Heart Songs was her idea and she had no problem singing for us. Note to self: Ask her what her Heart Song is and if she'll share it. I've already asked her to keep an ear out if my song changes. She said she would. If asked to sing, she'll serenade as long as she has the energy. Rachel sings some of the most interesting songs when she's by herself. The heart she puts into her voice is amazing. However, if you walk in on her singing when she thinks she's alone, she'll stop. Mid-word. It's like she's embarrassed. That makes no sense._

 _The more intimate the two of them are with each other the more awkward I feel. It's not like they're doing anything wrong or bad (although what the whole massage thing sounded like came really close. I had these weird butterflies of terror and relief fluttering in my stomach for an hour after). If they're hugging or cuddling I immediately get myself interested in something else. If they're kissing, I disappear, and fast. Thankfully no full-on saliva transfusions yet. If that ever happened I'd throw up. Shamelessly. And on whatever was closest._

 _This time they were outside in one of the courtyards. Rachel was showing the egg to her unicorn companion. Said she wanted the unicorn to know ahead of time there would be a newcomer that would need a lot of attention. I guess Fantasia is a bit of the jealous type when it came to sharing the attention. After seeing how her cat acts I believe it. (Haven't told Rachel about Tatania) But I saw something that bothered me. I don't think it should have, but it did. At least I think 'bothered' is the way to say it._

 _When they came back inside that evening, Rachel kept her egg in its sling and put on a night robe. Riku stood behind her and gave her a hug from behind. I saw them in profile. That was the sight that bothered me. When in its sling, her egg is placed about at her stomach. But under the robe, it looked like it was her actual stomach, giving the look that she was pregnant. I know they're a couple and I have no problem or cares about that. But seeing them like that…even though it was just an illusion image…I don't know. Am I worried the possibility of never having someone special of my own to maybe one day end up like that?_

 _But what will happen to me later? Will there be a place for me somewhere on some world? If so, how will I find it? As awesome as this magic castle is, I would like the freedom to go beyond four walls whenever I like. I'm in no hurry. But I don't want to be here forever. Living on another world might help keep me away from people that might recognize or question me about where I came from. Rachel has told me so much about all the other worlds out there. She's even talked about the possibility of sneaking me away on the pirate ship she and her brother have to see some of those worlds. Maybe I'll find one I like to maybe make home._

 _I like to believe I'm different enough from the real thing now that if I were to meet Sora again he might think the facial similarity is uncanny but otherwise wouldn't suspect anything. Since he forgot everything about Castle Oblivion, I might be able to meet him again._

 _I guess if it's important I'll bring it up in this later. Right now I just wanna go to bed._

 _After-thought: When is that darn egg going to hatch?_


	32. Possibilities

"Why do you look so happy?"

Rachel had come back from a few hour visit with her friends at the Mysterious Tower. Right after placing her egg carefully on the table, she sat back in a chair with her feet crossed on the table, leaning back with a smarmy grin.

"Amused is more the word," She said.

"About?"

Rachel chuckled evilly.

"Shared a box of candy with Lea. Nice conversation, good treats."

"And?"

"He'd never had Pop Rocks before. And I, *ahem* ' _forgot'_ to tell him they weren't supposed to be swallowed."

Aiden gaped at her. "Are you serious?"

"I've never seen a person's eyes bug out like that before. He wasn't thrilled. But he should know by now that hanging out with me means putting his life in his own hands. I guess same could be said both ways…"

"It's so strange to hear of Lea as such a-a…is 'nut' an okay word?"

"Well you wouldn't be wrong."

"I only knew him as Axel. And what you've been telling me couldn't be more opposite."

"I'd have to take your word for it. Like I told you before, he doesn't really talk about himself as Axel and I don't pry."

"Do you think I'll be able to meet him again? At this point, he's one of the few left who know about me, right? He sounds okay, albeit a little crazy. And he won't tell, right?"

"I'm sure he won't. But I'm still leery of saying anything to anybody. I don't want to keep you away from meeting people you want to, but-."

"But you never know what could go wrong. I get it, I do."

"I'm sorry, I really am. I think, I think we need to get you settled somewhere first."

"How would that help?"

"I think that would make all the difference. If you get to know a place first, then that makes the story more believable. No one will question whether you're actually from that world or not. At that point we could 'discover' you and 'lo-and-behold' this guy can also carry a Heartless-fighting weapon. Who knows? Maybe we can find a way to make you a new one. Then, at that point, you can attribute your facial similarities to Riku as just that thing where they say everybody has seven twins somewhere in the world."

"Is that true?"

"I'm inclined to think it is. I've actually had somebody on a few occasions ask if I had an older sister or something because I 'looked just like' a person they knew."

"Think that would work?"

"If you know your story and tell it well, you can make people believe anything."

"Kinda like you."

"What can I say? Speak with authority and people will believe almost anything. I love messing with the others that way. Especially when it takes them a while to realize I was kidding."

"Have you ever done that to me?"

"Not over anything serious."

"So when I can see another world?"

"Working on it but running into problems."

"Problems? Like what?"

"Like if someone asks where I'm going or who I visited. I can't lie. If I said I went to Arendelle to visit Elsa and Anna, I need to do it. Otherwise the next time someone meets them and asks, 'Hey, how was your last visit with Rachel?' and the sisters have no idea what they're talking about, it comes back to me. Why did I say I visited when I didn't?"

"Then just park the boat, do your visit and I'll look around on my own."

"You'd be okay going by yourself?"

"Well, yeah, I'm not exactly helpless."

"No, I meant exploring alone."

"Why not? Would be a little adventure in itself, wouldn't it?"

"Guess so. That makes it a little easier. Then on to the big question; where do you want to go first?"

* * *

"Hey! Hey! Where do you two lovebirds think you're going?"

Darn it!

Rachel and Riku just about made it away home free but Kairi had been outside enjoying the view of the sky and stopped them as they boarded the King. Normally boarding the ship had nothing out of place about it. Neither did taking off without telling anybody for any length of time. It might get a question where you were and what you were doing upon the return but a simple answer usually ended the conversation. The Masters were hoping now would be one of those times. No such luck. Nothing can ever go smoothly when it's important.

"Riku and I are going to Arendelle for a while. I haven't seen Elsa and Anna for a while and I'd like to visit. And I wanna show off my new egg."

"Oh, I get it," Kairi said. "You three are practically family so it only makes sense Elsa and Anna would want to get to know their future brother-in-law better."

Riku let his head drop against the side of the mast. "First Lea now her…"

"May I come?"

Of course they had to say yes. There was a fifty-fifty chance saying 'no' would either be taken graciously or questioned as to why she couldn't accompany on a friendly visit. But that did throw a wrench in the original plan. They were going to start with a few hour visit to Arendelle then pop along to how ever many other worlds they could see in one day.

" _Soooo_ ," Kairi cooed. She laid her head on Riku's shoulder. "What were you two planning on doing together?"

Riku rolled his eyes. At least she wasn't as blatantly awkward about it like Lea was. And getting teased by a girl friend was a lot more bearable than getting poked fun at with the guys.

"Is it spring in Arendelle? Were you two going to have a romantic stroll in the castle gardens?"

"You're not going to stop, are you?"

"Oh come on, you can tell _me_."

"Rachel wanted to visit the sisters. She can make the King able to travel between worlds but she can't fly it at the same time."

"Uh-huh," Kairi said, not convinced.

The King moved swiftly through the space between spaces. Kairi was still bugging Riku. Rachel couldn't really hear what they were saying but even from a distance had an idea what was happening. She sat on the rail of the Sky King as it cruised. Riku didn't drive the ship as fast as Bryan liked so there was no need to cling on to anything for dear life. After making sure Kairi wasn't looking, Rachel slipped her fingers into her side-pouch. Her fingertips brushed against something tiny, soft and furry.

"Don't worry. This won't change much."

A little whiskered nose poked out, gave a confirming twitch then retreated back into the pouch.


	33. Fifth Journal

_THAT WAS SO COOL!_

 _Just got back from my first real visit to another world. And it was amazing! We had to be sneaky to get me there but it was worth it. Rachel got me from this world to the Mysterious Tower where the ship was docked by turning me into a mouse (at least I think I was a mouse, it seemed rodent-ish enough to be a mouse) and I hid in her carrying pouch._

 _That girl, Kairi came with us. It was kinda in impromptu plan. I only saw her for a second but she sounded nice. And I can see a bit of Naminé in her. That made me feel good to see. So they went to the castle to meet some friends of Rachel's. Right before that, Rachel was able to break below deck and change me back. Once they were clear of the docks, I got to check the place out. It was interesting nobody seemed to notice the ship tied up to the docks. It wasn't even in the water! It's a space ship (terrible pun, by the way) so it hovers. And it didn't look anything like the boats in the harbor. Must be some kind of magic that no one notices something that different as worth notice._

 _It was a really beautiful town. Everybody was really friendly. Except this really tall guy with this mammoth mustache who kept trying to sell me things 'of his own invention'. He freaked me out a little._

 _Otherwise the visit was great. I was oddly tired afterward but I guess you use energy differently from a day of excited exploring than sparring. Maybe next time I can see the mountains. With Kairi tagging along, getting back to the ship when they were ready to leave was tricky. If I got there first then no big deal. But if they did, they would have to explain why they were stalling their delay until I could catch up. We actually got back at about the same time. Rachel saw me first and mouse-ified me from a distance before Kairi had a chance to see me. From Rachel's pocket I listened to them talking about the visit. Guess they had a fun time. Everybody seems to be on their toes about the egg._

 _So today was just a first trip. I but I guess the next one might take a while. If Rachel and Riku are off seemingly gallivanting purposelessly across the universe all the time then people might ask questions. Ignorance sounds to be my best defense. If no one suspects them of anything, suspicious or otherwise, then they can't ask questions. No questions to dodge means nothing can be given away by accident._

 _It might be cool to meet the sisters Rachel went to visit. She's told me about them a few times. They sound nice. I mean to ask Rachel about them. Even if they know Riku and see the similarity, they sound like they'd keep a secret. Maybe they can even help me get set up somewhere (a room in the castle would be pretty sweet but I'm not aiming the bar that high)._

 _But I'm not making any decisions yet. After all, no sense getting an address at the first place you see. Oh…that's a weird thought. I wonder how many people never give any thought at all, ever, to having a home and address really is? Yeah, I'm glad to have a place to live, but as cool as the magic castle is, it isn't mine. It isn't my home._

 _I'm a little tired now so I guess now all I have to do is wait to see what tomorrow brings. And again, I wonder how many people really take the time to realize just how special it is to be in a place where tomorrow is exciting, not just an expectation._


	34. Fooling Around

Riku entered the study hall where he found Rachel and Aiden. He tried massaging his shoulder and rotated his arm. Ouch. The last obstacle course run was…not fun.

Rachel was actually the one brewing a potion this time in a tiny cauldron at the end of the table. She was also focusing on making little paper squares fold themselves up into origami figures without touching them while letting the potion simmer. Aiden, however, had his arms crossed on top of a stack of books wearing a most unpleasant scowl.

"What's up with him?"

"He's in a bad mood."

"What'd you do? Feed him after midnight?"

Rachel giggled. Aiden narrowed his eyes evilly at Riku.

"He just-."

Aiden pointed threateningly at her with a warning growl to emphasize his displeasure.

"-learned that he was a hamster yesterday."

Riku knew Rachel's plan to sneak Aiden to the Tower but hadn't actually seen what she'd turned him into. He supposed he could understand Aiden's feelings. A hamster, while nicely pocket-size was hardly a dignified creature. And he too had been on the receiving end of some less-dignified spells so he could empathize.

"That was embarrassing."

"You didn't have a problem with it when you didn't know."

"Now I kind of want to see what he looked like."

"Well, you can."

"NO!"Aiden's head shot up, eyes wide with horror when he realized what Rachel was about to do. " **What did you do that for**!?"

"My own amusement, mostly."

Aiden was once again a little white and black striped hamster. And he wasn't happy about it.

"Change me back right n-aaah! _**Don't touch me**_!"

Riku ran a finger down hamster-Aiden's back. Hamsters are just too fluffy to not pet. But when he did, Aiden arched his back into a deep U at the contact (like how a cat pulls back when it doesn't want to be petted, only funnier).

"Sorry, you're just so-."

"Do _**not**_ describe me! And stop smiling!"

"I can't help it." Riku was beginning that laughter where you have a hard time stopping.

"Why is this so funny to you?" Rachel said from down the table. All her origami figures were lined up in front of her. They all looked a little rumpled but it was a first try.

"I don't know. I really don't."

"That's it. Joke's over. Change me back and d- **I said don't touch me**!"

Riku gave hamster-Aiden another pet. Only this time Aiden flattened himself out like a rug. He didn't even know he could do that, he just reacted. Of course when a hamster does that it looks like they deflated into nothing but a mush of fur. And it was clear Riku wasn't listening to him at all. It's especially irritating when you're raging, fuming, ferociously angry but too cute for anyone to take you seriously.

"Stop laughing!"

"But it's-it's," Riku's amusement won-out and he didn't even bother trying to hold it back. He just started laughing.

"I hate you! Hey! _Don't you dare!_ Touch me again and I'll missile myself right at your stupid face and chew your eyes out! And STOP LAUGHING!"

"I ca-I can't," Riku couldn't help it. He didn't even know why. He couldn't even get a sentence out to either explain or apologize.

"This isn't funny." Aiden growled. He scaled down the pile of books and scurried across the table toward Rachel. She was going to change him back even if he had to rip her little paper figures to pieces. Oh yes, he would go completely psycho on those cranes if it meant being taken seriously. "STOP LAUGHING!"

"It's the way you walk! How can you move so fast with no legs? Those little feet-."

Aiden came to an abrupt halt and tucked his feet beneath himself, refusing any action that Riku found amusing; at _his_ expense no less. Only that made it worse. With no visible feet, Aiden just turned essentially himself into a fluffy cotton ball with eyes. No, he was pretty much a tiny Tribble with eyes. Worse yet, all tucked up, he was almost perfectly round. A hamster ball, (a hamball if you will) so much so it barely looked natural. Of course this only warranted closer inspection.

"Stop looking at me! Change me back!"

Rachel had been strangely quiet throughout the whole thing. Mostly because Riku was already laughing, she didn't want Aiden to feel worse and this whole thing started because of her anyway. Interesting though, Aiden was more angry about Riku laughing than the fact the whole thing was her fault to begin with. There was a distinct preference she hadn't failed to notice. In fact, Rachel was pretty sure that she could deliberately push him off a cliff and he would have brushed it off completely come breakfast the next day.

"Change me back." Aiden muttered again. " **HEY**!"

Riku couldn't explain the sudden child-like urge he was suddenly overwhelmed with. But he reached down and cupped his hand over Aiden, the way a little kid tries to catch a bug or a frog without crushing it. There were a few rude names and,

"What did he say?"

"He just gave me a suggestion but don't think it's physically possible."

"Aiden, what did you just say to him?"

"*!*% **& #%^ & ** #! ^%$ _& \+ $^&_ # ^^$!"

"Oh my. Um…uh, wow. Aiden, sweetie…there's a lot you have to learn about anatomy."

Riku had to ignore the rudeness but otherwise felt no regret whatsoever. Hamsters were so soft! And with Aiden squirming around under his hand it was like petting a chinchilla. Only,

"Ow!"

Aiden made for the first bit of flesh he could reach. It wasn't enough to break skin but nobody ever likes to be bitten by anything.

"I've had enough of this." Aiden fumed. He continued his scurry to Rachel's end of the table. "Change me back so I can wipe the floor with him. After an appropriate display of violence, all will be forg-* _gasp_!*"

"TATANIA NO!"

The Tower cat of course had free reign to go wherever she wanted whenever she wished. And, being a cat, could be silent and keep her presence unknown by simply wanted no one to know she was there. As a pampered kitty, Tatania had never actually hunted anything other than toys in her life. However, watching a rodent thing scurry, completely exposed, across the nearby table warranted closer inspection and awoke deep-seeded instincts to attack.

It was quite a scene of chaos. Tatania soared onto the table from seemingly nowhere, paws and claws fully extended for the catch. Rachel tried to grab her cat before she did any damage. She succeeded. The Tower cat's pounce was interrupted and she was thrown off-balance. But it wasn't without unintended consequences. While trying to catch Tatania, Rachel bumped the little cauldron and it tipped over. And when anything falls, your first instinct is to try and catch it. Only that didn't go over so well. The catch didn't help and the cauldron fell; spilling its amber colored contents that turned into bright red sand as it hit anything solid. Rachel's distraction to try and catch the cauldron gave Tatania enough time to regain her footing and resume the chase. Aiden's head start didn't amount to much against a cat. Just as the long-hair was about to deliver the final pounce, Riku cupped both hands over Aiden, shielding him. Tatania looked quite perplexed, and rather irritated, that her quarry had somehow vanished and knowing exactly whom to blame. She playfully batted at Riku's hands, perhaps hoping to cute him into letting her have what she was after.

"Go away, leave him alone."

Tatania looked at him, bewildered he would order her to do such a thing when such a delightful morsel was just asking to be eaten. In fact, she wasn't giving up. So much so Riku had to scoop Aiden up and step back out of pounce-range away from the table. Hamster-Aiden stuck his head out from between the gaps in Riku's fingers; only to hastily retreat when he saw Tatania still had her eyes on him.

"Are you for real!?" Aiden shouted (which sounded funny, such a big yell coming from such a tiny creature). "Your-your-your stupid cat was going to-!"

"Aiden, calm down."

"Calm down?! Your cat tried to eat me! I thought we were solid!"

"She's a cat," Riku said. "Do they ever really love anybody?"

"You be quiet or I'll bite you again."

"You do and you can take your chances against the cat."

"Will you turn me back already!"

"Yes, yes! I'm sorry!" Rachel had clambered to get the cauldron righted and save any bit of potion she could once she saw Riku rescued Aiden.

The magic released and Aiden was himself again (irate and flustered but human). Only then did he realize Riku had his arms around him; the spacial equivalent of a second ago when Aiden was in his hands. This didn't thrill him any. And, for no other reason than he knew it would annoy him the most, Riku squeezed for a hug. Oh, that did not go over well. Aiden couldn't have looked more horrified and disgusted if he'd been French-kissed by a cow. He pushed away violently, livid and flustered.

"What is _**wrong**_ with you!"

His full-body shiver was a work of art in and of itself. Aiden stormed off, frequently shivering and saying something to the effect of needing to wash but never get clean. Only when he was gone did Rachel feel free to giggle the way she'd been holding back up until that point.

"Well that got a little carried away."

"But it was fun. Except for you." Riku added, looking accusingly at Tatania. But she wasn't paying a lick of attention. The Tower cat had curled up on the book pile like she owned it; staring off at not really anything.

"Y-e-e-eah, that was a hiccup I can't believe I didn't think about."

"At least he's okay."

"And humility therapy is healthy *mutter*for spectators*mutter*."

"What about your potion? Were you able to save any of it?"

"Well," Rachel picked up a handful of the red sand on the bench, held it up and let it trickle from her hand.

"Nothing that could be saved?"

Rachel looked down into the little cauldron. Less than a cup of potion sloshed around at the bottom. She sighed, resigned. "Not enough to be useful." Rachel just flipped the little cauldron over and the rest of the liquid splashed into sand on the table. "Maybe I can put the sand in bottles and donate it to tourist shops."

"Sorry about that."

"No biggie. I'm a bit more annoyed my cranes look like crash victims." She started cleaning up the sand.

"Hey," Riku said as a thought just came to him. "Sorry about the change of subject, but has he looked a bit tired to you the last few days? Yeah, he's still got plenty of energy but…"

"I asked him the same thing the other day. Said he wondered if he might be getting sick for the first time or that he had a bad night's sleep. I totally get the latter. Everybody has days where they wake up and discover they've turned into Frankenstein."

Riku chuckled. "Think Aiden will forgive us for today?"

"Well, whether he likes it or not, it is an irrefutable truth that hating is a form of loving. And I think today we've show him about as much love was we can without actually going so far as knocking his teeth in."

"You're going to do something to make up for the torture we put him through, right?"

"I'll think of something."


	35. Sixth Journal

_Something is wrong._

 _Well, maybe not 'wrong' but certainly not completely right. I know for sure now. I've been trying to ignore my symptoms, sucking it up and sticking it out but I can't deny anymore that something is wrong with me. I haven't mentioned it before because I thought I could shake it off. But I feel a little weaker and weaker by the day no matter how much rest I get. At first I thought it was just because of a hard day or a bad nights sleep. But I can feel the pattern now. I want to tell Rachel about it but I'm afraid of what we might find. First thing tomorrow I'm making every remedy potion that I know of. Maybe I can fix whatever this is that way. She might be able to help me, but I don't want to worry her if she can't._

 _But I'm finding it harder and harder to mask how I feel. In the mirror I can even see how tired I look. If I can see it, so can they. If I can't take care of this myself, I know they'll ask me about it and then they'll want to help. I'm not saying I wouldn't be grateful that they care, I just want to try and fix it myself first. Even though I'm not sure what 'this' even is._


	36. Good Company

One of the benefits of having a stained glass window facing the rising sun meant a room bathed in colors as beautiful as the waking sky itself. In this regard, the atrium of the magical training castle was the best place to be in the mornings.

That morning, Rachel and Aiden went to the atrium for that days magic training. Per the norm, Aiden had brought what he'd need for potion making. Rachel had kinda flubbed up the enunciation of a spell and ended up with an oily mess on the floor. So while Aiden brewed, she mopped. The egg was placed on a big pillow on one of the tables. Tatania sat on a bookshelf, overlooking everything.

"Mind if I ask you something?" Aiden asked. He was very focused on getting absolutely every measurement exactly correct.

"Seeing as you already asked me something, shoot."

"Why are you mopping the floor yourself?"

"What?"

"With all your magic, wouldn't cleaning a floor by yourself be pointless?"

"I've considered that myself before. But I was given some advice from a friend regarding using magic to take care of the little things."

"Which was?"

"Don't. Making a mop move on its own to clean a mess would be easy, but imagine what could happen if something went wrong?"

"Is that what happened to the person who gave you that advice?"

"The way he told the story? In a big way. Never rely on magic for what you are fully capable of doing yourself. Well, not for laziness anyway. If it's fun, always go with magic. Which you seem to be relying heavily on this morning."

"What?"

"You think I didn't notice that every potion you've made this morning is a remedy?"

"It's…um, I just decided on going with a theme."

"So the look you've been sporting of the princess and the pea the morning after is just my imagination?"

"Uh-I haven't-."

"If you've been feeling under the weather lately there's no need to hide it."

"Well," What was he supposed to do now? Continue denying it after she'd hit it squarely on the head? "Yeah, I've been feeling…I don't even really know."

"Think you might be getting sick?"

"I guess so. I don't know. I've never been sick before. I don't know what it feels like to be sick."

"It sucks. And _getting_ sick sometimes feels a lot different than actually _being_ sick. So what do you plan to do with all those potions? Take a sip of everything and see what works?"

"I guess."

"Here's hopin' your endeavors pay off. If not, fear not! I'd have you nursed back to health in no time…ignoring the fact that a bad cold can make you feel like you're dying."

"Great…just what I can look forward to with endless glee." Aiden said sourly.

"Well, if it is a bug you've managed to catch, lots of sleep and staying well-hydrated will bite it in the butt quickly."

"What about that spell or something you talked about a while ago? That stuff that makes it so you can't get sick ever again?"

"Yeah, I could get some of it, but you have to _get_ sick before you can never get sick."

"I remember."

"You might actually be better off if you get over a bug naturally first."

"Why? What's the difference? You went through all that before, right?"

"I did, but that was also after over a decade of childhood colds, the flu, allergies and a share of sinus infections. I actually had an immune system that had been agitated and had a chance to grow strong. You, on the other hand do not have that luxury."

"I guess that makes sense. So don't even try with the potions?"

"Oh, go ahead with the remedies. That's hardly a big deal at all. Just that other stuff is a bit potent for someone who's never been sick before. Just go with the feeling and it'll be over before you know it."

The conversation wrapped up there and they returned to their tasks.

Later that afternoon Riku stopped by to see Rachel. But Riku had barely crossed the grand expanse of the atrium to where Rachel and Aiden had set up their daily doings when he stopped. His skills of perception were too sharp not to notice he was being watched, and not by his girlfriend or look-alike. Riku looked up, and found what had been staring at him. And it was a little creepy.

High above a thick ledge stuck out from wall that went around the entire atrium. It was heavily decorated and quite a marvel if you ever looked up high enough (but who knew how much dust had collected there over the years). Intricate, yes, but didn't seem to be very functional. Spaced evenly around the room were carvings that jutted out like the gargoyles on the outer edges of a cathedral. Only these didn't sport the gaping mouths, horns and fangs of typical gargoyles. These structures were carved with all sorts of magical creatures. And crouched on one of these structures was a dark, human-like figure. At least, kinda. It sat in a frog-like crouch, leaning over the edge like an observant cat.

"What is that?" Riku asked, pointing.

"My Shadow." Rachel said. She was still mopping up the mess from earlier. Oily messes are harder to clean up than blueberry smears or milk spills. The first clean up hadn't gotten rid of all the residue and she didn't want anyone to slip.

"Why is it all the way up there? And why does it look so…solid?"

"It's been growing stronger."

"Is that a good thing?"

"In a fight, sure. Not much of a conversational companion and it doesn't do much except observe when not asked to do something specific."

"And it still does everything you say?"

"Of course. It's an extension of myself. It's like questioning if my own arm doesn't do what I want."

Riku could see the usefulness of using ones' own neutral, benevolent, Darkness. He too had used the Darkness that was supposed to be a part of his heart before. It had been a great tool but he never let go of the wariness of using Darkness. He was no longer afraid of it, but it would be foolish to cast away caution along with the fear.

He looked up at the Shadow again. It had changed quite a bit from the plain, cloaked figure he had seen before. Last time it looked vaguely feminine, now he couldn't tell. It had obvious limbs and a solid body. But it was impossible to tell if it looked male or female. It would make sense if it took on a more feminine form, considering it was a girls' shadow. But if it was learning to change shape at will, male, female or neither really wasn't worthy of further thought. The Shadow still had the flaming, smoky 'hair' and pale yellow eyes. Only this time there was a dark ring in those eyes like the separation of iris to whites. Only there was no iris color. Only more yellow. Creepy. Creepier still was that it was very obviously watching him.

"See? It's freaking him out too." Aiden said to Rachel. "Could you put it back now?"

"I never said it freaked me out."

"I can see the way you're watching it watch you. It was doing the same thing to me before you got here."

"Oh fine. Yo!" Rachel called to the Shadow. The Shadow's posture immediately changed to that of a cat that just heard the can opener. It then leapt from the ledge and dove into the wall no differently than if it were water. The shapeless blackness moved down the wall, across the floor and reconnected with Rachel's literal shadow. "Oh I give up!" She'd mopped the same spot three times trying to get all of the oil to lift but it wasn't working. Not for lack of effort but whatever the failed spell left behind wasn't giving up without a fight. So with a bit of magic the oil was gathered into a little ball and hardened into a stone which she threw away.

Later still Rachel and Riku were spending quiet time together up in the atrium's treehouse. They lay on the floor and looked up at the branches above. It was so cool to be in a tree that was indoors. The sunlight outside the stained glass window made the leaves light up with different colors. Rachel curled up at Riku's side, using him as a pillow. He stroked her hair while they reviewed the important parts of different spells.

" _Levarda_ does what?"

"Gives someone that sickly flushed feeling on their skin."

"And how do you best enact it?"

"By thinking about something annoying when you cast it."

"Good. And what about _felitz_?"

"Imagine a rainy day when you say it. Cast it on an inanimate object. When you do, you'll be able to see what happened around it for a period of time."

"How does a person's magic strengthen the spell?"

"The range around the spell widens as well as how far back in the day you can see what happened around the object. A novice could only see for a few minutes and only a few feet away from the item. An expert could see the entire room for hours or even a whole day. An excellent tool if you're a detective at a murder scene but bad idea if used in a college dorm room."

"Good. Relay all this to Master Yen Sid and he'll know that kissing isn't all you do here."

"I have to keep up my end of the deal if I want to keep visiting here."

"We can stop now if you like."

Riku rested his hand on her back. "I'd like that." He didn't mind talking about important things while they cuddled, but sometimes it felt best to talk seamlessly about nothing or in fact talk about nothing at all. A few minutes passed in silence. Then Riku said, "Hey, mind if I ask something?"

"No, carrot cake is not an acceptable substitute for a healthy snack."

"Funny."

"I thought so. Teehee."

"A while ago, when we were like this, you said hearts had their own unique songs but could also sing other things depending on what they're feeling."

"I remember. We listened to what your heart was singing when we were together."

She cuddled closer. Riku could tell by the sparkle in her eyes that thinking back to the song she heard from him made her happy. A heart is always honest and those words came out a lot easier in a song than how he might have been able to express himself with words.

"Yes. Now I want to hear yours."

Rachel smiled and snuggled up so their heads were very close. She nuzzled her forehead against his and focused on the song of her heart. Once she'd found it, she made it so he could hear it too. It was like thinking back to a song you know. The sound is strictly in your head. But Riku liked it. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the melody immensely. The song went something like this,

" _I knew that we belonged together long before I knew your name. And the only thing I longed for was a sign to prove you felt the same. Somehow I knew your every secret just from looking in your eyes. From the very moment I met you I was thinking of the rest of our lives._

 _Just say to me, 'I'm gonna love you 'til the end of time'. Somehow two hearts have made a friend of Time. Eternity, eternity is on our side._

 _I'm not afraid to say 'forever', you have made me feel so sure. 'Cause I know it's everlasting and I've never had this feeling before._

 _Keep telling me, 'I'm gonna love you 'til the end of time'. Somehow two hearts have made a friend of Time. Eternity, eternity is on our side._

 _Caught in the tide, and it brought me to you. Under a spell and now I know that dreams come true_!"

The chorus repeated once more then the music ended.

"You're blushing."

"I am not."

"Yes you are."

Rachel scooched back down to Riku's side with her head once again curled up on his chest, but this time not looking up at him. All the more confirmation he needed. Still, while she might try to hide it, Riku thought it was adorable. The sheepish glisten in her eyes when he pointed things like that out to her was just too sweet. He liked seeing that side of her. It was the side that was delicate and radiated with child-like innocence. Riku wrapped his arms lightly around her. The song was beautiful and she was just too cute.


	37. Deep Discussions

Sora took a stroll down the Tower hallways, fingers linked behind his head with a light spring in his step. It was a good day. Kairi was playing babysitter to Rachel's egg. Rachel had been given a day off visit everyone with no specific task for the day. All she really had to do was demonstrate to Master Yen Sid her progress. After that, the day was hers.

They started the day running the obstacle course together. It was cool to go through the whole thing again as a full team. Together, Rachel and Bryan were always the team to beat. It was a fun way of pushing themselves to get better when they all wanted to one day upstage the sibling duo. The things they got to learn by working together and running through the exercises Master Yen Sid had perfected over the years were amazing. Sora thought the skills he'd acquired on his adventures with Donald and Goofy were impressive. Considering that a lot of what he knew during those adventures was self-taught it truly was a feat to be admired. It wasn't completely unguided, of course. Donald was of course the kings' royal magician. And Goofy, even though a bit of a (loveable) bumbler sometimes was still the captain of the guard and had a few combat tricks to share.

Watching his friends powers grow was also amazing. Especially Kairi. For all his life, Kairi was high-spirited and spunky but not much of a fighter. She'd fought a few swordfights with Sora and Riku but was never very good nor did she really have any inkling to learn how to get better. Kairi was content with keeping to more low-key activities like collecting shells, listening to the waves and cheering on her friends from the sidelines. And yet, in a relatively short time Kairi had been officially chosen as a key bearer with a new Keyblade of her own and was showing amazing skill as a warrior.

But best of all, were the growth of their friendships. The dynamics of the group and the hearts that the group consisted of were all across the board. But no matter how the individuals interacted, one constant remained: they would always be there for each other. They saw this as their greatest asset. How could Xehanort pull them apart after all the fun and laughter they'd been through, especially in the weeks they'd been training at the Mysterious Tower? Riku had once fallen into the trap of lies and mistrust but Sora knew that would never happen again. He'd worked too hard and traveled too far on the path of redemption to be swayed. On top of that, he had Rachel. Love is too precious to endanger, ever. They all had time to grow up and learn not only about themselves but the worlds around them and where their hearts found their strength.

The more Sora thought about it, the more certain he became that there was no way Xehanort could succeed in trying to drive a wedge between any of them or plant seeds of doubt among them. After all Sora had done for Kairi, he knew she would never question his motives. He loved her and felt a painful prickle over his skin just thinking about doing anything that might hurt or betray her. And what could possibly break up the dynamic duo; Rachel and Bryan? From what Sora understood, a version of Xehanort had once tried to trade Bryan's safety in exchange for information from Rachel. Back then she'd chosen to fight for her family rather than submit in any way to a stranger. If the roles had been reversed, Bryan wouldn't hesitate to have done the same. Even if they truly didn't have the power to bring Xehanort's reign to an end, Sora knew, without a doubt, their loyalties and morals could never be compromised.

As Sora strolled down the hallway, he saw an open door. As he passed, Sora saw out of the corner of his eye the room was not empty. Master Yen Sid was putting something on a shelf. It didn't look like an activity that silently said company was unwelcome so Sora stepped inside.

"Hi,"

The sorcerer turned. "Good afternoon, Sora. I understand you are all soon to require new challenges on the obstacle course."

"I don't know. Rachel and Bryan seem to keep finding ways to upstage everyone. They seem to have new tricks up their sleeves all the time. We still have several of their old course times to beat."

Yen Sid nodded. "It's good that you all stay determined to push yourselves."

"No problems there. With so many of us working together, we can only get stronger. And it's been great to see everyone make everyone else stronger."

"As I have seen. You have all progressed very well."

"Master Yen Sid, um, mind if I ask you something? A little off topic?"

"Not at all."

"This might be a bit out of the blue but I've been thinking about it for a while. Will the rest of us be able to stay here or even come back here after the battle with Xehanort is over? Training at the Tower, I mean."

"There will always more to learn as a Keyblade Master. So long as there is more to learn, you are always welcome. To be a key bearer is a great responsibility. Regardless of how you decide to further your studies you will need somewhere to come back to."

Then, Sora noticed something in the old sorcerer's face. What was it?

"Um, is everything okay? Was it something I said?"

"No, Sora. But I too have had things weighing on my mind."

"Xehanort?"

"Partially. But this concerns all of you. And I do not take comfort in not telling you sooner."

"It's not anything bad, is it?" Sora doubted Master Yen Sid would actually lie about anything or withhold anything dangerous.

"No, not at all."

"Then what?"

"Users of magic have…abilities that are bestowed _through_ magic, not just the study of it."

"Huh?" That seemed more out of the blue than what he'd asked. "What does that mean?"

Master Yen Sid sighed heavily. That surprised Sora. It wasn't an impatient sort of sigh, or a tired sort of sigh.

"Magic in its purest form can be wielded by almost everyone, as I'm sure Merlin has spoken of to you before. Some wield it freely. Others require years of focused study to fully understand and use it efficiently."

"Yeah, Merlin's talked about that before. But why do you sound like you're about to tell me bad news?"

"Not… _bad_ news, but I cannot deny I should have told this to all of you sooner."

Sora waited for Yen Sid to continue.

"Magic…whether it be learned through the art of sorcery or bestowed as a gift through the Keyblade, it eventually effects the user."

"Effects?"

"Yes. After a while, pure magic becomes such a natural part of a person it becomes ingrained into the deepest part of them. The very cells become saturated with magic. In this capacity, they are kept in their healthiest, strongest state for much longer than normal."

"Does that mean…aging doesn't-?"

"Precisely. The aging process will begin to slow after a while. It happens to all magic users of all disciplines, and key bearers. It can be as much a burden as it is a blessing."

"Burden because…eventually we'll-our friends will have…" Sora could understand why Master Yen Sid had a hard time telling them this; why he had been reluctant to share this news earlier, especially with the threat of Xehanort over their heads.

The Sorcerer nodded gravely. "With only a small bit of perception magic, friends and family will not notice that you appear younger than how your years should be showing on your face. But, as unpleasant as the thought is, you will eventually outlive them. The more powerful the magic, the longer the power can last. The same goes for heroes of the Keyblade. This may not surprise you, but Xehanort is actually older than he appears. Though he may not be satisfied with it, his power is still great despite the fact his body as succumbed to the inevitable: age."

"And that's why he's been trying so hard to keep himself alive and strong in one form or another. If he keeps putting his heart, or at least a part of it, in someone younger, he can start all over again."

"As he has done. A man as determined to see through to his goals so fervently cannot possibly be satisfied after he's reached them. I believe if he managed to succeed in his goal of forging the _X_ -blade and bring about a second Keyblade war and get the answers he's been searching for, regardless of the outcome, he would never end the cycle until he is stopped."

"Ignoring whether Xehanort could actually succeed, is what he's done really a way for him to become immortal?"

"In a way," Master Yen Sid answered in a "'Yes, _but_ …' sort of way. "Xehanort could force his heart into a younger vessel and live out the days they would have had. Or split his heart within others and do the same. But a heart can only withstand so much. I admit my reasoning is mostly speculation. I have not heard of anyone who has given into that kind of power to such an alarming degree before. A fractured heart, no matter how strong, will eventually lose its ability to repair or overpower another."

"Kinda reminds me of an old stuffed animal I had when I was little. I loved that thing so much the cloth wore thing or the stiches came undone. My mom patched it up over and over because I wouldn't let it go. By the time I stopped playing with it, it was mostly patches and I don't think much of the original threads were left."

"In essence, yes. If you had not let it be, continued use might have destroyed your toy beyond all hope of repair. I believe Xehanort's heart is the same. Hearts are strong, but not indestructible, regardless of what the owner may like to believe."

"Do you think that is why he's been trying so hard to get what he wants? Because maybe he knows he only has so many chances to lose, fracture and regain his heart before he can't anymore?"

"I'm sure that is one reason. The other is, of course, the fire that burns when you have planned, waited and labored to achieve your goals and there is still work to be done, there is still more waiting."

"This is a lot to take in," Sora said.

Magic, the ability to use magic, extended the health and life of a person? Though, now that he thought about it-it shouldn't have been that surprising. That was amazing to hear but also daunting. That certainly wasn't anything they'd put on the brochure for being a Keyblade Master. But that also made Sora wonder, if pure magic used by anyone could do that, what about someone who specialized in it? Master Yen Sid was _The_ Sorcerer. And Merlin claimed to be the world's most powerful wizard. Magic was their life. So…just how old _were_ they? Both men were fully bearded with aged faces and eyes that told truths of years of experience and countless wonders witnessed. Yet, Sora couldn't remember a time when he had seen Yen Sid use the full extent of his power. What would that be like to witness? Inspiring? Terrifying? But it didn't seem like the most appropriate thing to ask. But another wonderment butted its way into Sora's mind that he couldn't help but ask.

"But no one can live forever," Sora confirmed.

"That is correct, no matter how many years, or for some, even centuries pass, no being is meant to live for all time."

"If…um. If you don't mind me asking, who will-I mean, what will happen when…when you're gone? What will happen to the Mysterious Tower then? What about future key bearers?"

"There is no need to feel awkward over such a question, Sora." Yen Sid assured him. "I know that, while I have many a good year left in me, I will leave this world one day and see what wonders lie beyond. As for future heroes of the Keyblade, they will be guided by you and your friends."

"Us? _Me_?"

"Of course. Surely this cannot surprise you. You are yourself a Keyblade Master now. Yes, you are young and still have much to learn, but by all rights tied to such an honorable rank, you could appoint a successor and mentor an apprentice of your own this very day if you so chose."

The words were so calm and said so wisely yet their weight felt like a slap in the face. Again, it shouldn't have been that big of a shock, and when said out loud did make a lot of sense even though Sora hadn't given it much thought before. Neither had Sora ever thought about himself as teacher material before.

"As to your question regarding this Tower, that I will be leaving in Rachel's capable hands. As well as the title of The Sorceress. Once she's earned it, of course."

"Wait a second! She isn't just training to be _**a**_ sorceress, she'll be _**the**_ sorceress?"

"Indeed. I have unshakeable confidence in her abilities and commitment to her studies. So much so that I have decided she will be my successor when I am gone."

"That's amazing!" Sora exclaimed. "She has to be so excited! How come she never said anything to any of us?"

"She doesn't know."

Sora felt very taken aback. "She-? Rachel doesn't know? But…how can she be the next Sorceress and not know it? How could she inherit the Mysterious Tower and not know it?"

"I have chosen not to tell her just yet."

"But why?"

"I do not want that knowledge to hinder her studies."

"Hinder? How would an honor like that hinder her studies?"

"Because of the way she learns magic best. Master Rachel excels at magical endeavors because she _enjoys_ it. Some people learn best through determined, focused study. For Rachel, magic is fun. She wants to learn more because it brings her the same joy as a parent when they make their child laugh. As you know, Bryan is well-versed in magic but prefers combat to sorcery. He may very well one day have magical strength like his sister, but acquiring it will be much more challenging because he does not find the same joy in the learning as she does; for example.

"If I told her she would one day inherit the Tower and take on responsibility and honor of being named the Sorceress once she has earned the title; that would only be a burden. I have chosen not to risk her learning magic to live up to an expectation, not because it is what her heart truly desires."

"Oh, I guess that's right." Sora said. "I guess…that would also be a lot to take in; especially with us all preparing for confronting Xehanort. Yeah, that would be…" Sora couldn't even wrap his head around having so much on your mind, _big stuff_ at that.

"You are perceptive. The final battle with Xehanort must take first priority. You are right. Nothing can distract our focus."

"Absolutely." Sora agreed. "I won't tell her or anyone what you've said."

"I trust you will."

"I know she'll be a great sorceress. She has great heart and kind nature and-."

There was a commotion outside the room in the hallway.

Lea's voice passed the door very quickly. He was shouting and practically slurring sentences together he was talking so fast. He was saying things like "Wait a second!", "Time out!" and a few other pleas that were hard to discern with the rapidness of his arrival and departure. Rachel was following a few sprinting strides behind. She was a lot easier to hear clearly as she approached and vanished down the hall after Lea.

"I'M GONNA RIP OUT YOUR HEART AND MAKE YOU EAT IT!"

And they were gone.

"Um…" Sora paused, with the look of man who knew he spoke too soon. There was no way of knowing what Lea could have possibly done this time to warrant such a declaration. And, frankly, Sora was more nervous than curious to find out. "Uh-huh. Gentle as a butterfly. Delicate as a flower."


	38. Familiar Prt 3

The morning started off on a tense note. Before breakfast Master Yen Sid had alerted the key bearers he was beginning to sense slight disturbances in the worlds. Unfortunately he couldn't discern yet what kind of disturbance it was. Neither could he pinpoint if it was because of Xehanort. And if it was, it was impossible to tell just yet what it meant. The others would continue with their training and studies, with a bit more _umph_ , perhaps, but they weren't to get all gun-ho until they knew more.

But while the morning started off tense, the day did not stay that way. In fact, the mood would end up on its head before the day was out. After a run through the obstacle course, a little something floating their way caught the teams attention, making them stop. It was an origami crane. The thin wings were flapping like a hummingbird and the paper figure zoomed down the hall to them. That had to be from Rachel. Riku recognized it. The construction had gotten a lot better. The little paper crane lost altitude and crash landed in Bryan's hair. The magic died upon impact and it was just an origami note. Bryan pulled it out of his hair and unfolded it.

"Hey! That'll be for me!" Riku protested.

Bryan ignored him and read the note. Then he completely froze. He was like a statue he was so still. The only thing about him that moved were his eyes going over the words many times to make sure he was reading them right.

"So what is it?" Sora asked.

When Bryan snapped his head up again a sharp shockwave of sound reverberated throughout the room, shattering a nearby vase to tiny fragments of glass and startling all those present. His eyes lightning-flashed with raging fire.

"What the heck?" Lea exclaimed.

It had been discovered that when angry or annoyed, some members of the team exhibited involuntary ways of showing it. Lea obviously got fired up when he got fired up. Riku had been witnessed to have little wisps of dark flame flicker around him when he got agitated. But it had only happened once since the friends started their training together at the Tower so it might've been a one-off. Bryan's talent with music manifested as a sudden outburst of sound. It wasn't really audible except for a buzzing thrum. The real damage came when the shockwave hit something.

Bryan ignored Lea, his harden gaze fixed on Riku. He turned the note over, presenting it in a very accusatory fashion. "What does _**this**_ _mean_?"

Everybody moved forward to see the note that made Bryan so enraged. There were only seven words in Rachel's handwriting. _Riku_ _Come Immediately! The Stork Is Landing_!

Riku's stomach dropped. He knew what that meant but also understood what that _sounded_ like, especially the way the others were looking at him.

"That is _**not**_ what it sounds like!" He said quickly.

"Then what _does_ it mean?" Bryan growled. He looked like a grouchy lion that just had its tail stepped on.

"Don't look at me like that! There has been no funny business going on between me and your sister!"

But Bryan didn't look convinced.

"Look, I gotta go. I'll be back soon just wait. And stop looking at me like that! _All of you_!"

Riku made off out of the room then broke into a run when Bryan acted like he was going to follow. It wasn't until he was out of shouting distance did Riku think that all he had to do was say the note was just referring to the fact her Familiar egg was hatching. Of course if he did that then everyone would want to come and watch.

Mere minutes later Riku was at the entrance hall of the castle. Aiden was there, waiting to show him where the egg was hatching. Aiden didn't like that he had to show Riku where to go. He wanted to be where the excitement was. Not like he could be blamed. This was an exciting occasion that everyone had been on pins and needles for. He looked like he hadn't gotten any sleep. Was he okay? Decided to ask later when their minds weren't focused on something else. They came to a stop upstairs in the room that Rachel had designated as her own. They went inside, quietly in case it had hatched already.

Rachel was lying on her stomach across her bed, the egg in front of her. Tatania was lying on a bookshelf, watching with mild interest. Riku and Aiden approached cautiously, and knelt down by the bed. Riku smiled at the way her face was alight with child-like giddiness. They were finally going to figure out what this thing was. Rachel would have her magical partner and they didn't have to wait months and months for it to hatch. The egg had thin fracture lines all over it. They could hear a scratching sound from inside. A teeny tiny scratching of teeny tiny feet. Or a beak. Or both. Or maybe it was something with little spines and what they were hearing were those scrit scritting as it moved to get free. They'd find out soon enough. They didn't even dare breathe too loudly. But still Riku had to ask.

"How long ago did this start?" Riku whispered.

"I've been feeling slight shifts for days. But I really started feeling it move late last night." Rachel whispered back. "Noticed the first crack just before lunch."

Once in a while the scratching became rough or rapid as the infant inside struggled against its enclosure. Then there were moments of silence as it paused to rest. Then came a sharp scratch and a crunch followed by a _peep_! that startled them all.

Rachel gasped. "It broke the air pocket!"

"The what?" Aiden whispered.

"Eggs have an air pocket. Or…at least I know bird eggs do. It's where the chick gets its first breath and strength to continue the struggle to g-."

A sharp _crack_ cut her off, startling them all once again. A large chunk of weakened shell had been pushed away, held together from the inside by a thin membrane. They could hear the peeps and cheeps of the thing inside as well as its shifting within the egg. Now that it had more fresh air getting inside the shell to breathe, the baby was getting a bit more vocal. In nature, this was probably the part where the infant instinctively tried to get its mothers' attention for protection and care.

"C'mon," Rachel whispered. "You can do it. Almost there. Just a few more like that and you'll be free."

Another chunk of shell next to the first cracked. Many of the fracture lines became darker as they widened.

"Almost, c'mon." She cooed.

"Why can't you just push it open? Help it out?" Aiden asked. His excitement was turning into impatience. He actually recoiled a bit when Rachel snapped her head up with a positive look of horror at the suggestion.

"Are you _crazy_!" She breathed. "Do you know what _happens_ if you help a chick out of its egg? Its innards are actually _outside_ its body. The struggle of hatching pulls its insides inside."

Aiden looked a bit sick at this news.

"I wouldn't help out even if that wouldn't happen."

"You'd let it struggle?" Aiden asked, surprised by her lack of mercy.

"Of course. How else could it become strong? Butterflies are like that. If it weren't for the struggle of emerging from the chrysalis, it would have weak blood vessels and its wings couldn't open. Or its colors would be dull and its body sickly. Struggle is nature's way of strengthening."

Aiden looked as thoughtful as he did a little guilty. Riku too contemplated her words. After all he'd seen and been through, he agreed completely that sometimes struggle was necessary to become stronger. Never felt good but it was necessary all the same.

There was another long pause where there was no movement from the egg. The baby inside cheeped weakly. The cracks had widened further; in several places the only thing that kept it together was the thin membrane within the shell. It was tempting not to just peel a shell fragment away. There was so little holding it together. One more good push looked to be more than enough to widen the cracks to break the pieces away. The baby inside shifted in the shell. They could see it as it moved but not enough to tell what it was supposed to be.

"Guys," Rachel said quietly. "Think…think maybe I could be alone for this?"

Riku nodded, got up and headed to the door. Aiden had a look like a kid that just had the promise of a theme park trip revoked. Not that he could be blamed really. Riku too felt disappointed he couldn't witness the actual hatching but this was going to be Rachel's magical partner for a long time. It just seemed right that she be the first thing and the first thing alone that it saw. So Riku and Aiden waited outside the door. From outside they strained their ears for any more peeps or sounds that might indicate the thing had finally come out.

"So what do you think it will be?" Aiden asked, keeping an ear pressed to the door. "What makes sounds like that?"

"Chicks, ducklings, goslings…My guess is that it will be some kind of bird."

"But there were birds all over that first room."

Riku shrugged. "Obviously this one is different. Hey, you okay?"

"Yeah, why?"

"You just look like you didn't get much sleep last night."

Aiden said nothing. They heard Rachel encouraging the thing for several minutes and the thing cheeped back a few times. Then nothing. No peeping, no words. Just silence. Riku really wished he had a glass to put up against the wall. Both he and Aiden were just about to choke on their own tongues as they desperately tried to be patient and not ask what was going on.

Finally,

"Kay, guys. You can come in, but quietly."

Aiden elbowed Riku in the ribs to be first only to get pushed aside anyway.

Rachel was still lying on her bed. Only now there was a grayish bundle in front of her; the broken egg pieces pushed away. Like there was a wasp in the room, the two boys approached the bed to inspect the hatchling. Rachel was positively beaming. She gently kissed the little head then pulled back so they could see it.

It certainly was a funny little thing (though ridiculously cute), a little bit smaller than the average housecat. Once it dried completely it was going to be extremely fluffy. But it wasn't a bird. Or at least not completely. Its head and neck were light gray and its body off-white. The wee thing lay exhausted on its side, little chest heaving with tired breaths. When it had the strength, its opened eyes were huge. The body was some kind of furry mammal. The back feet were paws, the front were like a combination of paws and stubby talons. Two little feathered wings were loosely folded uselessly at its side. Its large ears were very triangular but laid back flat against its fluffy head. Its tail also looked like it would be very fluffy too.

"Is that a beak?" Aiden asked.

The hatchling's eyes fluttered open when he spoke but after darting back and forth quickly the effort was too much and it closed them again. It did indeed have a short, blunt but wide beak.

After another hour (and a long well-deserved nap) the funny little creature was completely dry and fluffy all over and started looking around on wobbly legs (didn't help its first surface was a quashy mattress) but it never went very far from Rachel. The little fluff ball hobbled around like a two week old kitten. It didn't seem to know what to think of Riku or Aiden. Its big eyes were initially gray after it hatched but by the end of that day they would begin changing color. In that regard, it was hardly different from human babies born with blue-gray eyes that changed as they grew up. It seemed to be more like a duckling in the sense it had its eyes fully open shortly after hatching. How far it could see was still the question.

"Are we any closer to knowing what this thing is?" Riku asked. He petted the little thing on the head with one finger. "Hey, little guy," It cowered under his touch but quickly understood he wasn't trying to hurt it and discovered getting scratched on the head felt good.

"I think it might be a kind of gryphon." Rachel said. She was a total sucker for adorable baby animals so when it wanted to be close to 'mommy' she was more than happy to cuddle.

"But isn't a gryphon supposed to be a lion and an eagle?" Riku asked. "This doesn't look like either."

"If you want to get _really_ technical, any creature that is part feline part avian counts as a gryphon."

"So what do you call it as a baby?"

"What do you mean?"

"Birds are chicks but cats are kittens and big cats are sometimes called cubs when they're little. So which is a gryphon?"

"Now that…is a very good question. I guess we call it a cub. Who's going to tell us we're wrong?"

Aiden tried to pet it but the baby seized his finger with its front feet and started to nibble on him. "Hey! Let go!" It didn't really hurt but nobody is particularly fond of being chewed on.

"Oh," Rachel looked up with a look of thoughtful, worried realization. "What does this thing eat?"

Valid question and one she never had considered. Not like there was any way to know. What does a baby gryphon eat? What kind of bird or cat was it? That might determine what to feed it. Milk? Worms? Meat? Bugs? The question was kinda answered after it rolled on its back when Rachel went to pick it up and did the same thing to her hand as it did with Aiden. Only this time it tried to suckle one of her fingers. It was a very odd feeling for something with a beak. Still, its soft little tongue was definitely moving in a motion for nursing. But that posed another question, where were you supposed to get milk to provide proper sustenance to a gryphon? Cow milk probably wasn't going to cut it.

Rachel returned to the Tower shortly after and went straight to Master Yen Sid for suggestions of what to feed it. Babies want to eat not long after they're born, regardless of what species they are. The old sorcerer was delighted to see the new baby. It was very wary of new people and hid its face in Rachel's arms to try and hide in the blanket she'd wrapped it in. Or maybe it was just trying to keep warm. Of course Yen Sid still gave no indication whether he knew all along what the egg was going to hatch into.

Still, he knew what the cub needed. He told her most adult gryphons of all types were omnivorous so feeding it as it grew up wouldn't be hard. As a cub however, the buttermilk of just about anything would be enough to keep it healthy and grow the way it should. Gryphons of most species only nursed for about two weeks before moving to strictly solid food. All baby animals typically grew their fastest in their first weeks of life for survival. The fatty, nutrient-rich milk of their mothers helped them grow quickly and gain strength. Other than that, care would be fairly simple. Clean, well-fed and above all, well-loved. As it grew, its powers would grow and begin to reveal themselves. Its egg was quickened by her magic so they would be eternally bonded. But not even Yen Sid could say how big it was going to get. It could stop at the size of a bobcat, a mountain lion or go all the way up to the largest tiger. Only time would tell.

Understandably Rachel wanted to show off the new baby to her friends right away. Master Yen Sid however advised against it, at least for a few days. The cub may be bonded magically to her, but it was still impressionable and meeting so many new cooing people might be overwhelming. It couldn't even walk a straight line without wobbling yet, taking center stage so soon after being born would just be stress it didn't need.

"So what kind of cat and bird is it?" Rachel asked.

The old sorcerer shrugged. "All bird young are covered with similar, soft down. The brown duck and the white chicken are both yellow when they're born. Lion cubs lose their spots as they mature. The Familiar Nursery has been down in the castle for centuries, collecting potential Familiars from all sorts of times, places and worlds. This could have come from anywhere and any _when_."

"Fancy way of saying you don't know or aren't going to say if you do?"

Yen Sid chuckled.

"Perhaps. But, either way, wouldn't you rather find out for yourself?"


	39. Seventh Journal

_Rachel's egg hatched the other day. Cute little thing but nobody seems to know much about it._

 _The closest guess is that it's some kind of gryphon since it has feathers and fur. No one seems to know where it came from either. From what I've heard from others about other worlds, no one has yet seen anything gryphon-like. But I guess it's also true that wizards who used to use this castle from a long time ago collected the creatures in the Familiar rooms from all over. Maybe it's hundreds of years old and the rest of its kind has gone extinct. And I keep hearing it brought up how it might've come from a different dimension? Another set of worlds? It's hard to wrap my head around. Then again, Rachel and Riku did rip away a slice of Time to bring me here so who am I to say what's what?_

 _Just this morning the chick (cub, whatever) was confirmed it's bird half was at least part owl. I was mixing a potion and Rachel was playing with it on the table next to me. It was facing her. When Riku came in it turned its head completely backwards! Its body barely moved but the head twisted all the way around to see who had come in! Cool as it was creepy. Even worse, it just realized it had this talent and was doing it all morning just because it could._

 _I don't know why it likes chewing on me so much. I've tried to bottle-feed it like I've seen Rachel do but it still goes for my fingers. And dang! That thing can pinch when it wants to! I'm only giving it another week before the 'it's just a baby' excuse runs dry. If it hasn't stopped nibbling me by then, I'll know it's doing it on purpose._

 _But I don't even know what to call it apart from 'it', 'the baby' and 'the cub'. Rachel's still riding the fence in the diagnosis whether it's a boy or girl. Until she's certain of that she can't give it a name._

 _And for telling me when we first met that coming up with names was her forte, she's having a tough time with this one. Yeah, she has to wait until she's sure it's a boy or a girl but she's getting some names lined up anyway. I guess it would be stupid to give it a cutesy name like people give their housecats. Yeah, imagine flying into battle on a majestic mount called Mittens. Or a short, delicate name then find out it'll stop growing when it's the size of a tiger and has a scrappy side. Or a big, strong, solid name then it never gets bigger than a small dog and has the personality of a bozo…never mind, I guess I can totally see the difficulty of finding the perfect name._


	40. Familiar Prt 4

The atmosphere of the hero team had a new buzz now that the egg had hatched. Everyone wanted to see it. Babies were cute and fun they'd been on pins and needles ever since Riku came back with the news. But, per Master Yen Sid's advisement, there would be no group viewing. Over the next few days Rachel came back to the Tower with her fluffy baby. Everyone would be able to see it but only one at a time. Bryan got to go first. After that, it was up to the rest of them to fight out who was going next.

Seger was with Bryan when Bryan took his turn. Just like puppies, little animals don't know they're little. The cub marched right up to the wolf and started pouncing (best as it could considering its legs hadn't gotten to their full strength yet) around at his feet, trying to get him to play. Surprisingly, Seger actually did seem genuinely interested for a while. He leaned forward for a good sniff; his ears held erect. He even nudged the cub away with his hoof when it started to get tiresome, pushing it over. The baby figured that was part of the game and kept going in only to get pushed over again.

Bryan, while most people didn't know this, did have an affinity for baby animals. If it was cute, cuddly, small and easy to play with he enjoyed the way little critters played. That didn't always roll over when they grew up, though. Like with Tatania. When the Tower Cat was just a kitten, Bryan was a terrible tease to her (mostly because it annoyed his sister) but wouldn't say no to letting her play mighty huntress with his fingertips or find something for her to chase. As an adult, he'd give Tatania a pet if she was nearby but would move her away if she tried to curl up on him. But the dynamics of a baby gryphon were likely to be a big different.

"Ooooh!" Kairi cooed as she bottle-fed the cub on the day it was her turn. "You are just too cuddly!" The little baby chewed greedily on the long-nippled bottle, gripping the bottle with it's the stubby toes of its front feet. "You can stay this size," She said to it. "This is perfect." Very true. It curled up in the crook of an elbow very comfortably.

"I don't even know how big it will get. If Master knows what this is, he's not saying."

"Aren't there books about magical creatures from far-off places? Can't you find out that way?"

"Oh, believe me, I'm trying. Not all nature books have pictures of what something looks like as a baby."

"Isn't there like an all-gryphon book, or something like that?"

"There are several. But for all I know this thing is a hybrid and won't be in any book."

"Hey…can mythical creatures cross-breed?"

"Probably, why?"

"Well, a gryphon is a bird and a cat, right? Could they have originated from some kind of monster of either kind coming together?"

"I don't know if any record is that specific. I think they've just always been their own kind with just varying species."

"So this could be a kind like would be well known that you could find in a book, or a hybrid of either two kinds of gryphons or a mix of a cat and bird creature? Or any variation in between?"

"Maybe. And we have no idea when or where this thing came from either to narrow down the options."

The Familiar warmed up to Sora very quickly. Shortly after being introduced Sora found his hands being hunted and his lap invaded. It tried climbing up his torso to his shoulder but stopped halfway and looked stuck, like it wasn't sure what to do next or got into an idea it couldn't back out of.

"So is it a boy or a girl? Ouch."

For having no teeth so it could never teethe, it certainly liked to chew.

"I _think_ it's a boy. But it's so young and has so much fur I'm not confident making a positive ID yet."

"What does Tatania think about it?"

"She's not a fan. It's going to be a chore balancing the love."

"What do you mean?"

"Giving Fluffy Feet here the love and attention it needs and still giving that same amount of affection to Tatania so she doesn't feel neglected because of the new baby."

"She won't hurt the little guy, will she?"

"I don't think so. Or at least I hope so. We had a talk."

"She understands you?"

"She can't talk but she's smarter than the average cat."

"What exactly did you say? Ouch. You need to quit doing that." Sora scolded. But it wasn't with a lot of conviction.

"I told her babies need patience. And since it's part feline, it would be her job to show it how a proper cat should behave."

Sora laughed. Ego-fluffing was always a good route to try.

Lea found a penlight and made sure to bring it when it was his turn. The cubs' owl-like eyes grew wide with alertness and wonderment at the little dot. The eyes were gray when it first hatched but how they were a dark tan. But it was still young, perhaps its eye color would continue to change into something else. It seemed likely they would either be amber or gold but the brown might in fact turn into green. Only time would tell. It was always funny watching a cat going after a penlight. And when you try to pounce on short new legs it was hilarious.

"So what are you going to call it?"

"Not sure yet. I even can't say for certain if it's a boy or girl. So nobody can call it 'cutie' or 'big guy' too much or else it might think that's its name."

"You do realize how thin you'll be stretched with this on your plate now, right?"

"I have been thinking about that…"

"You have your studies as a Keyblade Master and sorceress, the inevitable showdown with Xehanort ahead and now a baby to raise."

"Yeah, but at least I'm in no short supply of baby sitters."

Lea turned on the penlight again. The cub had run low on energy from chasing the dot the first time but still gave it all it had to capture it. "I volunteer. I could do this all day."

* * *

"What kind of powers do you think it will have?"

"Powers? Gryphons have powers?"

"Well, not that I've ever heard of, but a few years ago, magic was just something that existed in stories and the imagination. As far as we knew, elephants couldn't fly, owls couldn't talk and mermaids were just something every little girl wanted to be."

"Point taken."

"What kind of powers could a gryphon have? And do different breeds have different abilities?"

"That would make sense."

"It does seem to be part owl, maybe it can see perfectly in the dark or could hypnotize people with those big eyes."

"Or maybe summon huge gusts of wind with those wings?"

"Once those chicken wings actually grow in, you mean."

"Of course. I wonder how long it will be until it can fly."

"Maybe they don't have any powers unless bonded with another magical being? Like as a Familiar?"

"Now I'm curious. I'll have to look some of this up for myself."

After everyone had their chance to meet the new baby, there was of course discussion as to what it was or what it could grow up to be.

"Think it will get very big?" Sora wondered.

"That would be cool if it did." Lea said. "Maybe even big enough to ride."

"Even cooler if it could talk." Kairi said.

"So no doing or saying anything around it-it could remember then bring up later." Bryan said. "Kids remember everything."

"We should help Rachel out with names." Kairi suggested. "We can each make a list of a few boy and girl names for when she finds out what it is."

"She names everything herself." Bryan told her. He was going through a list in his head of every pet she ever had. And he knew how his sister loved to write and create characters, all of whom had to have a name.

"What about when it grows up?" Sora asked. "You know, birds look different with baby feathers than when they get bigger."

"Another good point," Lea said. "It'll probably have different colors once the baby feathers fall out. Fur too, probably. Like…I think lion cubs actually are kinda spotted when they're young, aren't they?"

"I think so," Bryan said. "Like deer the spots fade as they get older."

"Hey, Riku, you okay? You've been pretty quiet." Kairi said.

Riku had been sitting back away from the group. He hadn't said a word.

"I'm cheating."

"What?"

"Cheating. You've all been guessing about Rachel's familiar and I've been finding answers."

"Answers? How?" Sora asked, confused.

Riku held up a small, wood-framed mirror he'd been looking into. That was surprising. When he said he was finding answers, they all half-expected that he managed to find the book that revealed what kind of gryphon it was and where it came from.

"Is that Rachel's question mirror?" Bryan asked.

"Question mirror?"

"It's called a 'What-If' mirror," Riku corrected. "And she gave it to me last Christmas."

"And…what exactly does a 'what-if' mirror do? And how does it help you find answers about the fluffy thing?" Lea asked.

"You ask it hypothetical questions," Riku explained. "And it shows possible answers."

"Oh?" Kairi was very intrigued. "You found out about the cub?"

"I believe have."

"Well?" She pressed. "Don't leave us in suspense!"

Riku smirked cockily.

Kairi marched up to him, got right up in his face and narrowed her eyes at him. "You know something, and I seek it. _Speak_."

Riku just half-smiled at her. "I would hate to ruin the surprise for all of you." He said in a way that suggested he was doing them all a favor out of the kindness of his heart. But they all knew different.

"You!" Kairi huffed. Only she could see in his eyes Riku wasn't going to give up anything. So she settled for a Gibbs-slap and sulked away.

Riku had in fact gotten a sneak-peak of what the gryphon cub would grow up to look like. And it was incredible. Riku had been zoned into the mirror world. Turns out, watching a scenario from inside the mirror only took a few minutes even though it felt like watching for much longer. In that regard, it was a lot like dreaming. A dream can feel like it lasts for hours and your mind goes on wacky, freaky or epic adventures when in actuality the dream barely lasts a few minutes. In that time his friends were discussing the possibilities, Riku had actually witnessed one. Although it was a little like cheating while you're cheating. Asking what the gryphon cub might look like when it grew up wouldn't result in a lot of options. So right off the bat he had a pretty solid idea of what the future really would bring.

But, like a total jerk, he wasn't telling.


	41. Eighth Journal

_The potions aren't working._

 _Certain healing draughts feel good for about a day then it's like I never took it at all. I haven't been able to do anything that exerts myself in the last few days. I feel like my energy is being leeched away slowly. I go to bed early and get up late. I even use sleeping potions that take me almost right away to the deepest and most refreshing depths of sleep in hopes that might help replenish me. But so far the results have been fleeting._

 _I'm getting scared. I don't know what this is. Nothing I can think of seems to be working. Worst yet happened this morning. I woke up to a pain in my chest and realized I couldn't breathe. The muscles of my chest had seized up and it felt like someone had gripped my heart and was squeezing. I was terrified. I still am. What if it happens again? I think it only lasted a few seconds but that hardly mattered. Any length of time was too long._

 _Wait…could this be a delayed consequence of going through time? Is that why my potions aren't working? Because it's not a physical ailment? Then why isn't Riku feeling anything new? Or is he and he's not saying? Then again, even though he opened a window in time,_ he _is still_ in _his proper timeline, I'm not._

 _I should tell Rachel…I want to. She's already worked out that I'm not at my best. But I'm not sure what's stopping me from telling her the whole story._


	42. As The Days Go

"Hey! I can't brush my hair with you trying to pounce on my fingers. Shoo. Go chew on Aiden."

"Don't you send that munching monstrosity my way."

Rachel, Riku and Aiden sat in a comfy living room with Tatania's watchful eye peering down on them from a bookshelf and the gryphon cub pouncing around Rachel, wanting to play. But Rachel wanted to brush her hair. But the movement of her hands gave the cub the impression the movement was a part of the game. And it wasn't at the point of understanding what she was saying yet.

"I'll never be able to finish if you're not patient."

"Finish? You're brushing your hair." Aiden said.

"Wrong. This is a special brush. I always do one hundred strokes as often as I can to keep my hair nice. Hey! What-? What are you doing?"

Riku got up from his spot and got a little pushy. With a bit of nudging, he slipped behind her on the couch and a bit of gentle shoving he got her sitting on the cushions on the floor. Then he took the polished wooden brush from her.

"You play with him, and I'll finish for you."

"Aww,"

"Eugh," Aiden made a disgusted noise. "You two are impossible. You're brushing her hair?"

"You better take notes. You'll need to know these things in case you ever find a girlfriend with standards you fit, for whatever crazy reason."

Aiden made a face but said nothing.

Rachel adjusted on the cushions and snuggled the cub. "You're too sweet."

Riku leaned forward and kissed the side of her head and combed his fingers through her hair.

"Seriously? You like that?" Aiden asked, skeptical.

"Of course I do. It feels so nice. You've obviously never had your hair brushed before."

"And never will," Riku cut in. "He's only got hair on half of his head." He looked at the brush a little closer. "This is one of those boar bristle kinds, isn't it?"

"Oh? You know about them?"

"Some of the islands back home have wild boar in the mountains. I've heard about groups going out and doing sort of a catch and release with the animals after cutting off the coarse hair. Other places actually have them on farms where they're sort've treated like sheep in regard to collecting the hair when it gets long enough. I've heard girls rave about them but never asked why."

"Wait a second, girls go crazy about doing their hair with brushes made from the hairs from the shaved backs of huge wild pigs?"

"A bit of crude nut-shelling but yes." Riku said.

"Why?" Aiden asked. He had a look like there could be no possible explanation he would accept.

"Boar bristles polish hair," Rachel explained. "And it gently pulls natural oils from the scalp to coat the hair and give it a healthy, moisturized shine. It also helps to keep hair nice and soft."

"And it's working," Riku combed his fingers through her hair again. Rachel looked over her shoulder at him with a teasing 'you naughty boy' sort of look that made him smile. "Where did you get this one?" Riku asked, referring to the brush itself.

"Yeah," Aiden added. "You said it was special, is it magic?"

"Sort've." Rachel answered. "Hmmmm, that's nice. It was a birthday present from Merlin my first year at the Tower. The wood is carved from an enchanted tree so it can never break or wear and the bristles will never fall out. The bristles are from a very rare golden boar. He never said where it came from but I got the impression it's very, very old."

Rachel had brought up her legs and the adventurous fluff ball was trying to climb the summit to her knees.

"I guess I'll need to get you a special brush too," Rachel said to the cub. "I wonder if I can find something that works well on feathers and fur."

"Have you figured out if it's a boy or a girl yet?" Aiden asked.

"I'm ninety percent sure it's a boy."

"So what will you call it?"

"I've been throwing around a few names in my head."

"Share?"

"A few of the top runners are Evra, Elias, André, Jared or Gareth."

"Gareth?"

"Okay, now that I've heard someone else say it out loud that one's off the list."

* * *

"Hey, Riku, check this out."

Riku had stopped just before the portal door that led back to the Mysterious Tower. Rachel called to him before he left. She had the cub all curled up and cuddled in her arms.

"What is it?"

"Here, I'll show you." Rachel passed the cub to him. "Hold him on his back and keep a gentle but firm grip."

"So you're sure now that it is a boy?"

"I wouldn't say no to a second opinion but I'm pretty sure now. But that's not what I've found. Take a look at this."

With both hands she pried the cubs beak open. It wasn't too thrilled with the treatment and tried to wriggle away.

"See that? Just on the inside of the beak?"

Riku looked closely. "Are those…teeth?"

Just within the mouth, no different than how teeth are behind the lips, was a row of what looked like gums behind the beak. Only the 'gums' looked like the edge of a butter knife; serrated but small and fine. How she noticed this was quite a wonder.

"So this little guy will have a sharp owl beak _and_ teeth?"

"Looks that way. No telling though if those teeth will get any bigger or sharper."

"And you still don't know exactly what this is?"

"Nope. Still haven't found anything that matches in any book I've found. Closest I've found was an owl gryphon that was part snowy owl and part snow leopard."

"That sounds cool. But you're not sure if that's what this is."

"I thought about it, but even newborn snow leopard cubs are heavily spotted, which, as you can see are lacking here. Little sweetie here might grow into them but it's too soon to tell. And snow leopards are supposed to have really, I mean really long tails. Unless that grows in too, I don't think Fuzzy's tail here is long enough."

"Might it be a hybrid then?"

"That's the best explanation I can come up with."

"So,"

"So?"

"Have you had time to decide on a name?"

Rachel smiled and scratched the fluffy little head. The cub still laid sprawled out in Riku's arms, enjoying being cuddled.

"I think I'm going to go with Elias. It's unique and strong enough for him to grow into, and if he doesn't, he can still be little Eli. But I haven't completely scrapped André either."

Riku nodded. Then he started to walk off.

"Hey! Where are you going?"

"Back to the Tower."

"I mean with _him_."

"Back to the Tower."

"Unhand my baby!"

"No."

* * *

Aiden was finding potion making increasingly difficult whenever little Eli (Rachel still wasn't sure which name fit the little guy best so she started addressing him as Eli or André to get a better feel) was in the same room. So long as there wasn't a lot of delicate or dangerous things he could chew or knock over, Rachel didn't force him to stay cooped up in one spot. Babies of all species are curious and understand their world through exploration.

Only when it was allowed to roam as it wanted, potion making got complicated. On more than one occasion Aiden had to shoo André away from chewing on an ingredient or keeping him away from the burners. Yeah, sometimes the best way to learn about fire was to actually get singed but feathers lit up quickly. He didn't want the little guy to get hurt. And Aiden knew anything that he let happen to little Elias, Rachel would probably do to him.

Aiden still focused primarily with high-end medicinal potions, trying to figure out what exactly he needed to right the off-ness he'd been feeling. One evening he tried a brew that was supposed to be made up into a tea. Only problem was the brew was extremely bitter with an after-bite like licking a lime. So there was a fair amount of violent body shivers and disgusted shudders. A hot gulp felt really good as it went down but his tongue was begging for mercy. There was no easy way of drinking it.

"How're you doing?"

Rachel just walked in for a quick bite. She was holding Tatania and Eli was the one tagging along at her feet, hoping to be picked up.

"Discovering I'm apparently a masochist." Aiden took another strained gulp, winced and shivered again.

"That bad, eh?"

"I'd like to say it's worse. I feel so bad from taking it I can't even tell if it's working."

"Give me an update when your taste buds regain consciousness."

"That might take a while," Aiden gasped.

"I'd suggest some sugar or a spoonful of honey but it might neutralize the effects."

"Then I'm not going to risk going through this torture for nothing."

"How many more do you need to take?"

"Just one more cup."

"And how many have you had?"

"Please don't ask. It's too horrible to admit."

"Yeesh. I commend your willpower."

They didn't say much while Rachel had her dinner. Tatania was given her usual nightly bowl of cream and André rolled on the floor with his bottle.

"I'll be world jumping tomorrow to collect regents for a few spells Master wants me to try. Unless someone else insists on joining me, you can come too if you like."

"Assuming this stuff hasn't killed me by then," Aiden said.

The next morning Aiden came down the kitchen much later than Rachel had. By the time he got there, Rachel was just about ready to head out and see if he was even up yet. He didn't even look half-awake. How he managed to get down the kitchen without showing visible signs he'd crashed into anything in his sleepy stupor was a mystery.

"You okay?"

"Been better," He answered in a slurred mumble.

"Uh, here. Let me help." Rachel guided him to the table to sit down. It certainly looked to be one of those 'sit down before you fall down' moments. "I'll get you something to eat so you don't need to stand back up."

Aiden muttered something that sounded like thanks but wasn't very audible. Just in the time she'd turned around, the magic of the kitchen had already laid out a few dishes one might prescribe to someone with a probably delicate stomach on one of the counters. So Rachel prepared a small plate of lightly buttered toast, a single scrambled egg and two thin bacon strips. When she turned around again to Aiden, he'd sort've slumped in his chair, elbow on the table and head laid heavily in his hand.

"Aiden,"

"I'm awake!"

Aiden jerked his head up, like when a dozer in a car ride is jolted out of their light snoozing. Rachel smoothed out his hair and picked up Elias, who had been scampering around the floor and trying to climb Aiden's chair.

"You okay?" She asked again.

"Ask me again in a minute."

As he ate, Rachel decided to brew for him her favorite tea. An actual tea might help snap him out of it as well as eating. The way Rachel liked her tea was with lots of honey, a bit of lemon and a light dusting of cinnamon. When in the right proportions, it was primarily sweet with a slight bite of sour and a soothing taste of spice. Those three together in a super-hot brew could be as good as any coffee.

"Oh please, no more tea."

"Trust me, this won't be anything like you had last night."

After another minute Aiden's mismatched eyes were sliding back into focus. Maybe the food and drink helped. Maybe it was just the intense heat.

"Any better?"

"A bit. Wow. This is actually really good."

"Thanks. Came up with the recipe myself. But speaking of tea, I gotta ask, just how much of that stuff did you drink last night?"

"More than I ever want to again."

"How much did the potion say was supposed to be taken?"

Aiden didn't answer; he just looked at her over the lip of his mug.

"And how much did you actually take?"

"Um…a little more."

"How much more is 'a little more'?"

He tried not to show it but Aiden still had a look of a kid who was caught with their hand in the cookie jar.

"Aiden, you know too much medicine can be just as bad as the untreated illness."

"I do now. You think that's what this is?"

"Could be. I still need to go out and get the regents for the spells. You finish that and go back to bed to sleep the woozy off."

"Not going to argue with that."

"Need any help getting back to your room?"

"I think I'll be fine."

"Okay," Rachel did a bit of magic and in an instant she had two polished snowflake obsidian balls the size of marble shooters in her hands. One of them she left on the table. "Just give it a rub if anything changes. Mine will get hot and I'll head back right away." Rachel fluffed his hair again and gave him a quick, one-armed hug. "I'm off. I'll be back this afternoon."

"I'll be fine, thanks. But,"

"Yeah?"

Aiden held up his mug with a sheepish half-smile. "Is there any more of this?"

* * *

Okay, people, listen up. In addition to comments regarding your feelings for the story thus far/writing style etc, here is your chance to get involved in the story. As of now, 6-23-16, I have not actually finalized the name for Rachel's familiar. I am teetering between the aforementioned names, Elias and André. I will of course be making the final decision but you are welcome to cast your own vote.


	43. Blue Moon Rising

"Hey, is Rachel still at the sorcery castle?" Bryan asked the first person he came across, whom happened to be Kairi.

"I think so, why?"

"Just got a message I know she'll want to hear."

"What's the message?"

"It's almost time for the blue moon rising in Pixie Hollow."

"Wow, that sounds cool. Do you like to watch it?"

"We've actually never seen it before. But that's where we got the blue pixie dust that brought our Dream Eaters into the real world."

"Are you going to see it this time?"

"That's what I wanted to tell Rachel. I got a message from Tink inviting us over."

"How did you get a message from Neverland?"

Bryan explained a device he, his sister and Merlin helped create in hopes of keeping communications between off-world friends not completely cut off. With the worlds disconnected most of the time, the device wasn't always reliable. They called it a Wish Machine. It didn't actually grant wishes. But if someone from another world had an enchanted gem that was synced with the device, they could leave behind thoughts or intentions within that gem and it would be transferred to the main gem.

The main gem was an amethyst cut in the shape of a dodecahedron and about the size of an apple. It was wrapped in shiny pieces of metal and wire that had been enchanted and engraved with special runes and other magical marks. Touching the amethyst could transfer any messages left within it. Obviously they didn't give a synched gem to just anyone. For the most part, the device wasn't used much. When not terrorized by Heartless, the worlds spun just fine on their own with no real need for heroes to come in and save the day. And few events were big enough to call them in.

But the fairies of Pixie Hollow were steadfast friends of the sibling Masters. Years ago the fairy queen had given them pouches for their own supply of pixie dust. When they came to visit, they were given dust rations no different than if they were really apart of the fairy community. As a further thank-you for the day they saved the Pixie Dust tree and the fairy way of life, Queen Clarion allowed Rachel and Bryan to take a portion of the precious blue pixie dust. It was extremely powerful and rare.

Blue pixie dust could only exist when the enchanting beams of the blue moon shone bright through the magical artifact known as the Moon Stone. The light shining through the stone immediately transmutes into dust. This dust is used to keep the pixie dust tree and the dust itself healthy and powerful. It was this dust that transformed spirits of the dream realms into a living, breathing creatures able to roam the real world. But it was such a tall order and only worked on two of their Spirits and they had created five.

"Can we come too?" Kairi asked. "It sounds really amazing."

"Well…I'd say sure but Rachel and me can go to Pixie Hollow whenever we want because of blue pixie dust. Tink used its magic so we'd shrink as soon as we crossed the border to Pixie Hollow. It would make sense to me to use what wasn't used from the last blue moon but it's got to be enough for four other people."

* * *

"No problems! I have been meaning to find a practical use for the shrinking spell I just learned!"

Bryan relayed the message from Tinker Bell to his sister when he found her, as well as Kairi's wonders about coming along.

"Just how soon is ' _just'_?"

"Well I didn't learn it last night if that's what you're asking."

"Good. You say 'just' and right away I get nervous."

"Hardy har. But yeah, I can shrink the others and then we can all go. I even know a spell to give us all wings!"

"Why do they need wings? We can just give them a bit of pixie dust."

"Then it will be on a volunteer basis then, won't it?"

* * *

In no time at all the whole team stood at the edge of the Pixie Hollow region of Neverland. After Kairi was told shrinking fairy-sized was possible after all, she got excited and told the others who thought it would be neat to check out the whole blue moon rising thing. With a swish of magic the world a whole lot bigger. After the spell was cast Rachel and Bryan crossed the line and were immediately small too. But just before they did, Bryan called his Keyblade, Cross Cut, and hurled it into the air. Only he'd set it on fire first so the blade spun as a fiery ring as it went up then came back down.

"What was that about?" Sora asked.

"The signal to the fairies that we're here." Bryan said. "We established that a long time ago. Sometimes they see it, sometimes they don't."

"So where do we need to go?" Riku asked. It seemed impossible to navigate at this size.

"No idea." Rachel answered. "Best guess would be the pixie dust tree."

"Or just go to Tinkers Nook first. It is on the way." Bryan pointed out.

"True. Either way we find someone who tells us where to go."

"Tinkers Nook? Interesting name." Sora said.

"It's where all the fairies classified as Tinkers live." Bryan explained. He went on to tell them how not all fairies have the same powers and live in different areas based on their talents. "That's also where Tinker Bell lives."

"That's why she's called that?" Sora asked.

"Guess so."

"Oh, but first," Rachel said. "Who wants wings?"

Kairi's hand shot up. "ME! And so do they."

"Excuse me?" Lea spoke up for the first time.

"Yes, we're all getting wings." Kairi said in a very 'that's final' way.

"Love the way you just went ahead and volunteered us."

"Go ahead," Kairi said to Rachel, ignoring Lea.

Rachel rolled her shoulders and prepared for casting the spell.

"Wait a second," Riku said. "You fixed the glitch with that spell, right?"

"Glitch? _Glitch_? What's he talking about a 'glitch'?" Lea demanded.

"Don't worry, I fixed that a long time ago."

"You better."

And before any of them knew it, the team members were all trying to get a better look at their magicked wings. And all of them were a little different.

Kairi could barely contain herself. She had the fuzzy wings of the chickweed geometer moth. The delicate insect wings were pale yellow with light pink spots and stripes. Some of the stripes were the pink you might find on one in the wild. Others were more the same color as her hair. She hopped around trying to figure them out. Then Kairi skidded to a halt and gasped at Rachel.

"They're beautiful!"

Rachel turned to see what had Kairi so excited. She too gasped when she saw what kind of wings she'd gotten. Rachel's wings were pattered as a monarch butterfly. Only instead of orange, they were her usual lavender and blueish teal. The only other difference was the wings were a bit narrower than a real monarch.

The girls were so giddy over their lovely Lepidoptera wings they seemed to have forgotten they were in the company of others. Surprisingly, Bryan and Sora's wings didn't look that different than typical pixie wings. Sora's forewings were longer and Bryan's were wider and their smaller hindwings were more tear dropped-shaped than round but otherwise were virtually the same as the other fairies. If their clothes were different, no one in Pixie Hollow would have questioned if they truly belonged. Riku had the same silver-gray feathered wings with the sky-blue tips as when Rachel first tested that spell on him.

"Okay, how does _he_ get the dignified wings?" Lea gestured accusingly at Riku.

"What are you talking about? Yours are pretty cool." Sora said.

"Yeah, whatever."

Lea had gotten super-iridescent ruby damselfly wings. All four wings were about the same size and length only the forewings had black tips. Only the black wasn't really black at all but super dark green that it only looked that way but shimmered their proper color in the light.

"These feel so weird," Lea said after trying to use them. "I want new ones. Cast the spell again."

Not like Rachel was paying much attention. She and Kairi were holding hands fluttering in a circle like schoolgirls playing ring-around-the-rosy and laughing. Even if they weren't giggling like children, another happening distracted them all. A huge gust of wind came out of nowhere, causing them all to brace themselves on whatever was nearest. From the gust came a purple-clad figure with very long dark hair.

"Vidia!" Rachel exclaimed.

The fast-flying fairy put her hands on her hips in a the-one-and-only stance. "You guys don't come around often enough. I was beginning to forget what you look like."

"Yeah, like you forget _this_ ," Bryan gestured to his incredible physique and flexed.

Vidia chuckled then, not only realized that he had wings but also the others around him weren't just other fairies that came to greet them first. They were dressed like the heroes she knew and most of them had wings that were unlike anything she'd ever seen on a fairy.

"How did you guys get wings?" Vidia asked, astounded. She circled Bryan and Sora.

"Rachel's magic," Bryan answered. "Where's Tink?"

Vidia laughed. "Oh she's on her way. I passed her on my way here. But since no one can keep up with a fast-flying fairy," She chuckled with pride. "So are you going to introduce me or what?"

So Bryan introduced each of his friends in turn.

"We got Tink's message about the blue moon tonight and came to see it." Rachel said. "It's still a while before nightfall, is there anything we can do t-?'

"YOU MADE IT!"

Before anyone really knew what happened, a zooming green something hug-attacked Rachel.

"You made it! And you have wings _too_?! That's so amazing! And Kairi! You're here too! And Riku! And Sora!"

Tinkerbell zoomed to Sora with a neck-breaking hug, completely stoked to see them again and that they were now fairy sized so they too could witness the amazing blue moon. It was obvious she wasn't expecting them. When she let go of Sora, Tink saw there was one more person present.

When she saw Lea, and Lea saw her, their faces lit up with surprised recognition; they pointed dramatically at each other and cried,

" _I know you_!" In unison.

Tink had both hands cupped over her face, completely stunned with disbelief. Lea too had a similar dumbfounded look.

"Wait a second," Kairi fluttered between them. "You two _know_ each other?"

"Yeah," Lea said as though he were experiencing something surreal.

"But…how? When?" Sora asked.

"It was after I met you," Tinkerbell explained. "Captain Hook came back to the island and went back to his old ways. It was the only one time we met."

"It was back when I was Axel," Lea explained. "Guess it might help if you knew that first."

"What were you doing in Neverland?" Riku asked.

"I was helping Roxas on a mission for the Organization. He'd met her on a previous mission and she helped us fly."

"So you've _flown_ before _too_?" Kairi asked, astonished.

"Yeah, so it feels like a bit of a step-down with these things," Lea looked over his shoulder, referring to the bug wings.

Sora had an odd look on his face. "So…you've met Roxas too." He said to Tinkerbell.

"Yeah! I remember him. I tried a few times to get him to help me but he couldn't understand me and was really focused on whatever those 'missions' were all about. Sounds like you know him too. How is he, anyway?"

Sora and Lea exchanged glances.

"How much time do we have before the moon rises?" Lea asked her.

"A few hours, but there are still a few preparations to be made. Why?"

"We'll tell you everything afterward, we'll need the time."

* * *

The key bearers were astounded by the organized hustle and bustle of the fairies preparing a clearing where the scepter for the celebration would be placed. Every blue moon ceremony a different talent guild created a scepter on which to place the moon stone. When it had come the turn of the Tinker fairy, it was Tinkerbell who had been given the honor.

A grand pedestal had been erected made of wood with mushrooms as steps where the scepter would be placed. The blue moon beams would shine through the moon stone at just the right time and the light would become blue pixie dust. The clearing looked like a kings great hall. Flowers lined either side like banners. Dust Keeper fairies had already placed stands were special bowls for collecting the dust would later be placed.

With time still remaining, Rachel, Bryan and Tinkerbell introduced Sora and the others to the rest of her closest friends. After the escapade years earlier with Captain Hook and the Heartless, Tink had told all her friends about Sora and her adventure while he was able to summon her. So now they were eager to meet the person she'd spoken so highly of.

"So very nice to meet you," A wild-haired Tinker named Bauble shook Sora's hand with fervor. "Any friend of Miss Bell's is a friend of ours."

"Oooh!" Rosetta coo-squealed at Kairi. "I am just so in love with your wings!" She encouraged Kairi to open them and do a little spin.

And of course it didn't seem right to visit Pixie Hollow, especially on such an occasion, without paying their respects to the queen. Kairi especially was on pins and needles as they ascended the pixie dust tree to reach the place where the fairy queen and the ministers of the seasons were overseeing the preparations.

"Queen Clarion! Look who came to say hello!"

Once again Sora and the others were introduced to the fairy queen. She too was glad to see Rachel and Bryan again as well as their friends. Rachel and Bryan were also given a refill of pixie dust for their pouches. Queen Clarion promised a portion of the blue dust to the sibling Masters like they had taken a few years ago. Again, the supply would be limited but it would be theirs all the same.

Soon the time arrived. The night was perfect. There were few clouds to obstruct the view of the moon. Even the stars seemed to twinkle with excitement. The key bearers found a good spot in the crowd to watch the precession. Fairies lined the clearing, trumpeting the start of the celebration. A dozen or so fairies lined up like in a parade, each holding a lantern-like flower atop a long stalk. They were followed by Queen Clarion and several Dust Keepers holding large silver bowls for collecting the dust (which turned out to be mostly ceremonial since there was apparently a lot of dust to be expected).

This year was the turn of the Garden fairy to create the scepter for the event. A fairy they didn't know carried what had to be the scepter down the main aisle to the grand podium. The scepter was covered and wrapped with leaves. Every fairy excitedly held their breath. The fairy stopped at the top of the pedestal where Queen Clarion waited.

"Fairies and Sparrowmen, we all know what a special occasion this is," The queen announced. "In a few moments the blue moon will shine its radiant beams down upon Pixie Hollow. But first, allow me to present this years scepter,"

Queen Clarion made a grand gesture of presentation to the fairy that made the scepter then glided out of the way, giving the fairy the full stage to present their creation. In the center of the log-like podium was a lovely stand made of tiny glowing mushrooms where the scepter was to be inserted. The fairy did just that, then with a dramatic flick removed the leaf coverings.

The long handle of the scepter was polished wood. The closer to the top you went, the more ornate the scepter. The first layer of decoration was an open daisy. A little further up was a larger yellow flower with twice as many petals. And on the top layer was another flower with wide, purple petals. In the center of that several vines intertwined straight up. From there the vines bent over and dangled loosely like the wispy branches of a willow tree. The dangling vines were all of different lengths. At the end of each vine was coiled a shiny blue stone.

"Moon _stones_?" Sora whispered to Animal fairy, Fawn, who was standing nearest.

"Yeeee-ah. When Tink made the scepter, there was a little accident and the stone smashed."

"And nothing bad happened?"

"Not at all. In fact, turns out the angle of the light through the stone or something is the important part, not the size of the stone."

"So it's like you have dozens of moon stones?"

"Pretty much. So it makes lots and lots of blue dust!"

Another fairy shooshed them. It was almost time. The entire crowd held its breath.

Then it happened. The world rotated just right to align with the rare blue moon. The light held within the stones for a moment. Then like laser beams the moonlight shot out from their stone catalysts. Seconds later the light exploded in a magical blue haze. It was like snowing diamonds. Everyone was up to their ankles in it. It took about a minute for the dust to stop falling.

The crowd cheered, going completely wild. When the crowd settle down a little, Queen Clarion took the scepter from its stand and passed it to the fairy who made it. There was music. A flock of butterflies came out of nowhere and fluttered around like living flowers. The fairies that led the queen's procession to the log podium at the beginning now led the way for the Garden fairy holding her scepter aloft. Queen Clarion glided shortly behind. Behind her began a glowing parade of fairy wings. The entire populous of Pixie Hollow made their way through the trees, across the streams, through the meadows to the pixie dust tree. The key bearers were of course apart of this crowd. They were among the first reach the tree. There they witnessed the first blessing of blue dust upon the magic tree. It was just like when the moonlight hit the moon stones. Bright beams of blue light lit up the night. Dust Keepers had poured a few of their bowls into the dust reservoir in the deepest nook of the tree. The gold dust turned blue for a moment then back to gold as it was absorbed into the tree. The crowd cheered at the proof of the trees rejuvenation.

After that, things began to calm down. Dust keepers and wind fairies went back to the celebration clearing to gather up the rest of the blue dust. That dust would be collected and kept safe to later apply tiny amounts to the golden dust to keep it flowing strong.

"That! Was! Incredible!" Kairi squealed.

The girls were both fluttering around excitedly. Sora was acting about the same. The others were equally exhilarated but were better at keeping it in. But neither Sora, Kairi or Rachel cared much that they were acting like six year olds at a much anticipated birthday party.

As promised, when the celebration was over they returned to Queen Clarion at the top of the pixie dust tree. She already had a pouch of fresh blue dust prepared for Rachel and Bryan when they arrived.

"Thank you so much," Rachel said, taking the pouch.

The queen smiled. "I hope it's enough to do as you wish."

"You and us both." Bryan said.

After blessing Seger and Fantasia with the mythical dust, they had reported the success of the magic to the fairy queen; who was very intrigued by it. Blue pixie dust kept on revealing it had more and more secrets it wished to tell.

"Before you go," Queen Clarion halted the key bearers before they made their exit. She took four specks of blue dust from the pouch she'd just given Rachel. With a wave of her hand a little blast of regular dust picked up the blue specks then showered over Sora, Riku, Kairi and Lea.

"Eh-chew!"

"What was that?" Riku asked. Despite being covered with a substantial amount of pixie dust he wasn't floating like what normally happens.

"Now all of you will be able to come to Pixie Hollow whenever you wish. I have blessed the blue dust to remember you as you are now. So whenever you cross the borders of the fairy kingdoms, you will become a more reasonable size right away."

Kairi had a face like the reveal for a surprise party. "Thank you so much! I'm going to come here _all_ the time."

"By saying the dust will 'remember us' as we are right now," Lea wanted to confirm. "Does that mean these too?" He half-turned and buzzed his wings a little to emphasize what he meant.

"Perhaps. If not, that is nothing a bit of pixie dust couldn't fix."

The fairy queen apparently missed that he wasn't asking out of eagerness. But the others had seen throughout the night that, although Lea grumbled about the bug wings, he didn't mind them as much as he said he did.

* * *

Bryan and Sora pushed open the entrance gate to a world they all knew so well. As usual, Traverse Town was quiet and empty. It existed but had no one to harbor since no Heartless or Darkness had displaced anyone in a while. But that didn't mean the refuge world wasn't occupied. The group had hardly taken ten steps into the second district before they heard something.

"What's that squealing?" Lea asked, looking around. His problem was that he looked _around_ and not _up_.

Suddenly a shape came from above the rooftops and zoomed toward them. Rachel knew what was coming so she lifted herself with pixie dust so the impending love-attack wouldn't be so painful. Jewel came rocketing from the sky. And, sure enough, the gilded whale knocked her mistress clean over with an over-enthused display of affection.

"Sora," Riku said.

"Hmm?"

"Heads up."

"What? Ah!"

Out of nowhere a pudgy faced cat-dog glomped him and proceeded with a vicious kiss-attack with its Pez-candy tongue. A smaller Meow Wow of a brighter blue was on its heels and made a B-line for Rachel.

Kairi looked disapprovingly at Riku. "You couldn't have helped him any?"

"I _did_ warn him."

From the time they were in the dream realms for the Mark of Mastery, both Sora and Riku had formed their favorite Dream Eater teams. Just like with Rachel and Bryan, the Spirits found themselves able to exist in the refuge world of Traverse Town. Sora's team was made of the Meow Wow he'd just gotten plowed by and a Yoggy Ram that came cantering down the street with Riku's Cyber Yog. With another series of squeaky squeals, Riku's first Spirit, a Komory Bat circled downward from the sky and landed on his shoulder.

Sora's team, Riku's team, Rachel's team…that left,

"Incoming,"

Bryan braced himself for what he knew was about to happen. A huge, pale yellow mass slithered at an astonishing speed toward him. In one swift motion, Bryan found himself completely covered in White's coils. It looked quite comical considering he was still standing. Hardly any of him was showing beneath the snake. White rested his scaly chin atop Bryan's head; his hood wrapped around his master like a big hug. For being a giant reptile, the White Snake was very affectionate.

"That's hilarious." Kairi said. After greeting Rachel, ever-social Jewel made sure to cozy up to Kairi.

"Let's not forget why we came here," Bryan said, trying to redirect the attention from the scaly hug he was still trapped in.

"Hmm," Rachel took off the pouch with the blue dust from her belt and took another look at the amount. "Yeah, there's no way this is going to be able to transform all of them."

"That's about the same as last time, right? White, seriously, you gotta let go. It'll probably be enough for two like last-White! I'm gonna fall if you don't get off!"

In the end, White and Jewel were the ones to receive the blessing. That had been the plan from the start. At first, Rachel had worried about leaving RolliPolli in Traverse Town all alone. But since Sora and Riku's Spirits had also come to reside in the refuge world, the brightly colored cat-dog would have friends until more blue dust could be gathered to bring it to the real world.

Little by little, Rachel sprinkled the blue dust over Jewel. They knew the task was complete when the Spirits' body began to shine. The Frozluga's skin shimmered for a moment then faded. It was just like before with Seger and Fantasia. Bryan did the same with White. Last time, they used the entire pouch, not sure how much would be enough. There was still a small portion left this time. However it wasn't enough to do what they wanted. Still, that would be kept safe until next time.

* * *

Right after dropping everyone else off at the Tower, Rachel and Bryan sailed the King to the high mountains of Arendelle. On a tall cliff they stood, overlooking the range. In unison, they called their Keyblade.

"Ready?"

"Of course."

Together they closed their eyes and allowed a very special magic to come to them. Bryan was the first to raise his blade high and said,

" _Creature born of hopes and dreams,_

 _Through the storms you guide._

 _Serpent of electric wilds,_

 _I call you to my side,_

 _White_!"

And Rachel did the same.

" _Creature born of hopes and dreams,_

 _Through sea and sky you glide._

 _Majesty of snow and ice,_

 _I call you to my side,_

 _Jewel_!"

Snow flurried all around them. Wind and magic sparked in the air. And as soon as the flurry subsided, a giant snake and a flying whale stood by them in the snow.

"New summoning spell seems to work great." Bryan said.

"Ready?" Rachel hopped on Jewel's back.

"Ready to lose you in my slipstream," Bryan taunted. He too jumped on White's back.

"First to that mountain wins!"

"Bring it on."


	44. Before Moonrise

When the day of the blue moon rising came, Rachel bustled to get as much done as she could as soon as she could. There was still a lot of time but she hurried all the same. But amongst the bustle of being extra prepared, Rachel noticed the castle was a bit more empty than usual. Where was Aiden? He wasn't at breakfast and she didn't remember seeing him at their usual potion room.

Rachel flew up the stairs to see if Aiden was still in his room. She held Elias out at arms length in front of her, giving the cub a taste what it would be like to fly. Only the fuzz bucket was barely aware it even _had_ wings, let alone what he'd one day use them for so it was just a fun ride.

"You okay in there?" Rachel knocked on the door. She heard a grunt-like sound from inside. It didn't sound like a 'please leave' or 'not dressed, give me a minute' so she opened the door a crack. "Mind if I come in?"

"Go ahead," Aiden sounded groggy.

Rachel stepped inside. "Sorry if I woke you."

"You're fine."

Aiden was sitting up on his bed but slouched over, elbows resting on his thighs. He hadn't put on a shirt yet and was still in the sweatpants he slept in. He looked like he only _just_ peeled himself out of bed. Like scardy-cat getting off a band aid sort of peeled. Geesh. Zombies looked livelier.

"You look terrible,"

"I _feel_ terrible. It's a matching set."

Rachel put Eli down and walked over to Aiden's bedside. The cub pounced at her ankles, hoping to get picked back up but was ignored.

"That herb salve didn't work then, I take it?"

"Sent me off to sleep just fine but when I woke up I just had this numbness at the roof of my mouth."

He spoke clearly but didn't open his eyes much and looked like he could slump over, fast asleep at any second.

"I'm having a hard time believing whatever you've managed to catch is so rare or complex that none of all those healing potions you've made are doing anything. Especially here. I know this castle hasn't been used in a long time but I'm sure there would have been precautions put in place long before that against diseases of all kinds from all places. And I've watched you work. You follow the instructions to the letter so it can't be because you're doing something wrong with the cures you've made for yourself."

"You don't think it could be magical then, do you? You don't think I stumbled into a curse or something somewhere during the times I've gotten lost down a hidd-what are you doing?"

Rachel brushed his hair off of his face and put her hand to his forehead.

"I guess that is something we can look into as a possibility. Hmmm, you are pretty warm. How long have you been out of bed?"

"A while, I think. I remember sitting up then nodding in and out for a while. Why?"

"Just making sure it's not blanket fever."

She stood quietly thinking for a moment.

"What is it?"

"I'll stay,"

"What?"

Rachel did the same trick she had when she cut Aiden's hair. With a flick and twist of her wrists and hands a towel appeared in her hands. With it she patted down his forehead, shoulders and back.

"What was that for?" It was kinda've a dumb question when he thought about it. His skin felt sticky like being outside on a humid day. Only it happened so gradually he almost didn't notice until he was dry again.

"Looks like a fever sweat. Now get back under the covers before you get a chill."

"I'll be fine. Just give me a minute."

"Nope." Rachel yanked the sheets down from under him, put her hand firmly across his forehead and pushed him back down.

For a second, Aiden had one of those blank, 'what just happened?' looks. "O-kaay."

"No highway option. Nope." He tried sitting back up but she pushed him down again. "Stay."

"You really think I can just sleep this off?"

"Probably not, but it will help you regain some strength while I look for another solution."

Rachel pulled the covers back over him. Aiden had mixed feelings about being tucked in. Pride screamed that it was undignified and embarrassing, but at the same time he didn't mind it.

"Where were you going to go today? The Tower?" Aiden asked, trying to distract himself from the child-like treatment.

"No, there was going to be a big to-do in Pixie Hollow, that's in Neverland. It's where the blue pixie dust I told you about that brought our Dream Eater Spirits into the real world comes from. But my brother can collect it. I'll just tell him I got caught up with something important."

Aiden stared at her. "How often does this happen?"

"Every eight years."

"Have you ever seen it before?"

"No."

"And you're going to miss it…to take care of me?"

"Meh, what's eight years when you still have a whole lifetime? I'll have a chance to see it again."

Aiden couldn't believe what he was hearing. "You really mean it, don't you? You're seriously going to pass up this chance to play nurse?"

"It's not a big deal. I can always-."

"No."

"What?"

"No. I'll be fine. Just go."

"It's not a problem. I'm okay with missing it."

"Yes, it is a problem and no, it's not okay." Aiden could see an equal mix of her resolve to stay and the pain of not going.

"I'm prioritizing."

"How can you tell me all about the blue moon if you're not there?" Aiden felt a swell of grateful emotions at what she said but really wanted her to go and enjoy it for the both of them.

"Riku will be. He can tell us both."

"You'd seriously put me through that? I thought you wanted me to get better."

Rachel laughed a little. Aiden could tell he was starting to sway her, he just had to keep going.

"I'll be fine. I won't do anything to overwork myself, I promise. I probably won't even leave this room. We can look into possible magical culprits tomorrow morning when you get back. You still have that stone marble thing, don't you? If anything changes I'll use it. I promise."

Rachel looked very torn. She wanted to go but felt like she should stay. She was willing to pass up a big chance to do the responsible thing but still wanted to go. There was that flicker of gratuity of Aiden's counter-selflessness. But there was also that look like she felt uncomfortable about doing what he said because then she'd feel guilty.

"Okay," She finally consented.

But she had no intention of sitting idly by until it was time to go. Rachel left the room but returned not long after followed by a trolley carrying a taurine of hot soup and a pot of the tea she'd made for him before. Aiden had been slipping in and out of sleep the whole time. The wisdom in the choice of staying in bed was showing through clearer all the time.

"Okay, these will stay hot for as long as you need them," Rachel explained about the taurine and teapot. "And the marble is right here on the nightstand." She sat on the edge of the bed. "Any change?"

"In the last fifteen minutes? No."

Rachel combed his hair behind his ear with her fingers. "I can still stay."

"I'll be fine. You go ahead." The whole fingers through the hair thing felt really soothing but he wasn't about to admit that.

She still looked uncertain. "Okay, but you better let me know the _second_ anything changes. It won't be good for either of us if you do anything that makes me feel guilty about leaving."

"I will. I won't." Aiden shuffled more comfortably in the covers. His eyelids felt like they were lined with fuzz so he gave up trying to keep them open. If she could just keep combing his hair until he fell asleep that would be great.

"I'm going to head out now. Anything else you need?"

"No, I'm good…um," He added as she started to get up.

"Yes?"

He really wanted to ask her something but he was embarrassed to do so. Too late now. Now she was expecting him to ask something and wouldn't take 'nothing' as an answer. Aiden was so glad he was turned away with his eyes closed so he didn't have to look at her.

"I…could you-? If it's not too weird…"

"Spit it out before you choke on it."

"Could-could you sing?"

Oh the embarrassment burned something terrible. Asking your friend to sing you a lullaby. He should've just kept his mouth shut. Stupidstupidstupidstupid! But what happened next surprised him. Rachel leaned in, actually kissed the top of his head and continued smoothing down his hair and without another word started singing. If she thought it was an awkward or immature request, she gave no indication at all.

" _How very special are we, for just a moment to be part of lifes' eternal rhyme? How very special are we, to have on our family tree Mother Earth and Father Time?_

 _He turns the seasons around. And so she changes her gown. But they always look in their prime. They go on dancing their dance of everlasting romance. Mother Earth and Father Time._

 _The summer larks return to sing. Oh, what a gift they give. Then autumn days grow short and cold. Oh, what a joy to live._

 _How very special are we, for just a moment to be part of lifes' eternal rhyme? How very special are we, to have on our family tree Mother Earth and Father Time?"_

And as he felt himself drifting off, Aiden couldn't help but wonder if this was what having a mom or a big sister was like.


	45. Trying To Help

"So did he have something?"

"Yep."

Riku had just come back to the training castle after an off-world excursion. Hopefully what he'd returned with was enough.

After the celebration of the blue moon rising, Rachel had told Riku all about her conversation with Aiden and how he looked the worse she'd seen him yet. It didn't make any sense how no medicinal magic, whether it be potion or spell had no lasting effect on him. She'd tried spells she knew with absolute certainty were done correctly. And Aiden had quite the talent for potion making and rarely improvised the instructions so there wasn't a lot of room for fault on his end either. What exactly could Aiden have caught that would be wearing him out so badly that nothing they tried could fix? What kind of germ could have survived in a castle that's magic should have neutralized it? What exactly was Aiden's problem anyway? Bacterial? Viral? Fungal? Why was it so hard to identify? And with all those all-purpose cure-alls Aiden had been trying, it shouldn't have mattered, it should've been knocked out of the park a long time ago.

Rachel brought up what Aiden had wondered to her before, that maybe it wasn't a sickness at all but that he'd been unlucky enough to find a stray curse somewhere in the castle. That didn't seem too improbable. A lot of magic was cast in this place. Not all of it was necessarily good. Or maybe it was the by-product of a spell gone wrong. Curses, if not aimed directly at someone, typically attached to objects and touch activated them. Weak ones faded over time but some hung on. Maybe he did stumble upon something that had been magicked for ill and that's why he woke up the last week or so looking like he was recovering from a malicious train accident.

But that compelled Riku to also bring another possibility to the table. What if this all had something to do with what Aiden _was_? To all points and purposes, Aiden was human, heart, mind, body and soul with the capacity to be aware of and contemplate his own existence just like them. However, that still didn't make that he wasn't like them untrue. How did Vexen manage it, anyway? It wasn't like the Organization had led Riku to Castle Oblivion. It has been DIZ who had guided him out of the dark and to the basement levels of the castle. It wasn't like he was expected. And it wasn't long after Riku fought Vexen that he even met Aiden. How had he done it? How do you make life that fast? Even just a copy of someone? Living puppet, doll-made-flesh…what was Aiden anyway? Not that it mattered to Rachel or Riku in terms of his worth but it might help them help him.

Maybe whatever was happening to him, common cold gone wrong or whatever, wasn't getting better because whatever was different about him wasn't letting it. The same disease could be a mild irritant to one creature and lethal to another. After all, you can't give an animal or even a baby the same medicine you would take for pain etc in the same prescribed dose and expect it to work. Some foods or medicine could actually be poisonous because their systems are wired differently. A person or a rabbit could eat a grape and enjoy a nice sweet snack. But a dog could die of kidney failure if it helped itself to the same treat.

Had they been making it worse all along? However Aiden was created, could it have not been given the same resistances to illnesses and aided by the same medicines as a normal body could? In a way, that made sense. Aiden probably didn't have a long-standing position in the Organization's plans, so it felt unlikely Vexen would go so far to ensure if his creation got a headache two asprin and a bit of quiet would fix it.

But all this was speculation. And they had no way of knowing whether any of their suspicions, if any were right or wrong. Just because they couldn't think of any other possibilities, that didn't mean they weren't completely wrong with their speculations and the real problem was just something they hadn't considered. Or maybe it was, or a combination of a thing or two. And at that point, a combination of what? They didn't like being completely clueless as to how to help their friend.

So the next step felt to be to ask for outside help. But that was tricky too. They were leery about asking Merlin. And definitely scared to death to ask Master Yen Sid. The good fairies? That might work. Only, could they keep a secret? Especially if they figured out there was something up about Aiden. There was little doubt they could keep secrets…just would good conscious win-out if the felt they were holding back something important to people they liked and trusted? Oh yeah, there's this other guy who's not supposed to be at the magical training castle and we need your help to cure him but you can't tell Master that he's here. Yeah. Maybe a last resort.

So who else? Ask Even himself? Pffft! As if! If he was anything like Lea, most of the memories made while a Nobody would be intact. But how would that conversation go? So, listen, remember the replica you made of me at Castle Oblivion? I need to know how you made him. Oh? Why do you want to know? Yeah, right. That wasn't going to happen.

Of all the worlds they'd gone to, somebody had to know something. So that brainstorm began and Rachel and Riku went across the worlds to see what they could find. Some places seemed more likely than others. Beasts Castle? Doubtful. The occupants had once been enchanted, but it was unlikely they knew anything about actually doing magic. And they weren't likely to find any magic cures in Deep Jungle or Paradise Jungle. Anything from Halloween Town would probably turn you into something slimy (or worse). What they were looking for might be in the bizarre forests of Wonderland. But that held its dangers too. What might rid your body of all imperfections from germs to genetic defects might be out there amongst the mushrooms and flowers…but so could the herb that makes you knee-high to a ladybug or grow until you could kiss a giraffe on the lips without having to stand on tip-toe.

So they split the list of the most likely worlds that might actually have something useful. Rachel gathered up Elias and went to Mount Olympus first. She and Bryan were always welcome guests among the gods. As promised after their very first adventure, chauffer Hermes took them to his home world to visit. They hit it off with the other gods very well and overall the relationship of guest-host was very good. Things only got better, especially with Zeus and Hera after they met Hercules when traveling with Sora. So once the fussing over cute little Eli was over (the gods assured them that, although similar to some of the monsters in their world, they'd never seen anything like him before (rats)), the gods presented Rachel with a very special golden apple. It was supposed to have the power to heal anything and dissolve any spell once eaten; even a spell cast by the gods.

After that, Rachel went to Pixie Hollow (after leaving Eli shut up in her cabin on the King with every kind of shiny toy she could find so he'd be kept plenty distracted). She knew Healing talent fairies were a thing. Would fairy magic be able to help? After seeking an audience with Queen Clarion, the fairy queen directed her to a fairy Rachel had met a few times named Zarina. She was a Dust Keeper who had explored the numerous uses of blue pixie dust more than anyone had before. Zarina did in fact have something she thought might help. She handed Rachel a small bottle of bright red dust. She'd discovered that was the color for pure healing magic. Maybe that, either by itself or mixed with something would have just enough kick to do the job.

Riku took the magic shell Rachel and Bryan had stored away and went to Atlantica. King Triton was the ruler of all the oceans. He had to know some kind of power, or at least know of someone who had the kind of power they needed. Yeah, what they needed was probably made of crushed shells, jellyfish slime and seaweed but if it worked then he was okay with Aiden complaining about making funny faces while eating something so weird. And with people like King Triton, Queen Clarion or the gods of Mounty Olympus, neither Rachel or Riku feared the consequences of their secret. After all, people of their position, both as kings and rulers were supposed to be trustworthy, and they had met them all before. There was little choice but to explain the situation in its entirety. One of these places might have exactly what they were after but a complete understanding would be required first. After all, you wouldn't give someone with pneumonia a childs' cough suppressant and expect it to work.

However, after listening through his explanation and request for help, King Triton had to admit to Riku he could think of no such magic or medicine that would specifically be of any use. The sea king did summon every healer or potion maker he knew in the kingdom to help. After hearing what was going on, each of them offered their best to help out. The only thing that bothered Riku was whether or not, despite their assurances it wouldn't make a difference, potions made for merpeople would actually do the job well for a human.

The last place that seemed the most likely to be fruitful was Agrabah and ask Genie. He was powerful and had been around the block more than a few times, if anyone was to know anything helpful, he would. And that is what he had come back to the training castle to report.

"This is what Genie had to offer," Riku presented a very square crystal bottle full of what looked like watered down grape juice. It had a shimmer to it like when oil catches the light.

"We should have jumped to the extreme from the beginning." Rachel said, adding the bottle to the collection of cure-alls they'd gathered. "I could see he was getting more and more under the weather but I didn't do anything."

"So did I. But he's got a stubborn side and a sense of pride that wouldn't have let you help unless you really forced it." Riku said. "Besides, for a while he was doing what he could to help himself. How were we supposed to know, how was _he_ supposed to know, at that point his personal efforts weren't going to work?"

"I just feel like our vigilance slipped and I don't like it."

"You're right. And neither do I."

Riku was right about the help not being so willingly accepted.

"You seriously expect me to drink this?"

Aiden had picked up the jar Riku had brought back from Atlantica. It was a weird teal-ish gray and gooey looking.

"Actually, you don't drink it." Riku said.

"Dare I ask?"

"You take a smear of it and hold it under your tongue for three minutes at a time. _Then_ you swallow it."

Aiden's throat clenched strangely as he tried to swallow down a gag. " _Anyway_ ," He did a poor job of trying to downplay a spine shiver. "You want me to take all of this right now?"

"Of course not," Rachel said. "If one works then that's all you need. And we can give that sea-goo an extra kick with this healing fairy magic."


	46. Reality

Riku made his way to the sorcery training castle not long after lunch. Training with Bryan and Sora as Keyblade Masters had been very successful that morning and he wanted to unwind for a while. And his mind was once again on what was going to become of Aiden. Up until just a little bit ago, he had no idea what the best course of action would be. Riku had a thought he was going to throw in the air when he got to the castle. Once he got better and if Aiden liked the idea, they might have a possible solution.

A little bit ago Rachel had mastered a spell to shrink people and objects and another to give people wings. The latter Riku knew all too well as he was a part of the trial run. With the combined spells, the whole team was able to go to Pixie Hollow in Neverland for the first time. It was the festival of the blue moon and Rachel and Bryan didn't want to miss it. It meant getting to see their fairy friends again and witnessing the rising of the blue moon. They also got them another portion of blue pixie dust to bring their remaining Dream Eaters into the real world.

But that had gotten Riku thinking. Could Pixie Hollow be the answer? As far as he knew, Master Yen Sid didn't go out to many worlds anymore, let alone Neverland, let alone Pixie Hollow. And if any of the other key bearers visited Pixie Hollow for any reason, the region was big enough that interactions could be kept to a minimum or never happen at all. Once Aiden got better, and if he had no objections to being four inches tall and having wings for the rest of his life, it might be a feasible solution. The fairies were numerous and friendly. There would be no shortage of possible friends…not to mention no shortage of things to do. If Aiden was willing to learn a bit more magic, he could maybe control water and help out with Silvermist and the other Water fairies or bend light like Iridessa with the Light fairies. If not, no doubt Tinkerbell, Clank and Bauble would jump at the chance to show him their trade as Tinker fairies. Or maybe he could carve out a niche for himself with his potion skills. Healing fairies could certainly benefit from his talent. So could a Dust Keeper fairy named Zarina. She'd discovered new uses for blue dust and coined the talent Pixie Dust Alchemy. That might make for an interesting (or explosive) melding of talents.

The next thing Riku knew he was already in the heart of the training castle. He needed to start paying more attention when he was lost in thought. Last time that happened Sora nearly broke his nose. He met Tatania first, but she was no help at all. He knew for a long time the long-hair was a lot more intelligent than the average feline, but like all cats, they could be loving but were primarily a self-serving species.

"Hey!" Riku called. Rachel had just power-walked passed a T in the hallway. A second later she backtracked after hearing him call her. "Where you off to?"

"Looking for Aiden. Have you crossed paths on your way in?"

"No, I haven't. Why? Has something happened?"

Rachel shrugged. "Not to my knowledge. I'm just curious as to why I haven't seen him today. The day's half over. Even when off doing his own thing I usually run into him at least once."

"Is he still in bed?"

"Could be. He's been looking increasingly under the weather these lasts few days."

"What about that potion we got from the genie?"

"Worked wonders for about a day. But come evening he went to bed early saying he was tired and was pretty sluggish yesterday." She lowered her head, looking very worried.

"You don't think that…?"

"What?"

"Whatever's wrong with him, we may have to take him to see Merlin or Master Yen Sid to fix."

"As much as I don't want to admit it, we might have to. But that bothers me in more ways than one." Rachel said. "All those cures we brought back, well, except for the Atlantica cure,"

"I don't think either of us really expected that to work. But are you saying _nothing_ has helped this past week?"

"Afraid so."

"But…all that power, and nothing helped? Fairy magic? Genie magic? Even the apple from the gods?" Riku stood very still.

"The apple really surprised me. Everything seemed to work just as we hoped for about a day and a half. He'd be nearly back to his old self but then…" Rachel was uncomfortably quiet for a moment. "I really don't have any other ideas. I really hate to say it but we've exhausted every option we could think of. Whatever's going on with him, it's…it's beyond what I feel I have the ability to fix."

Sensing how terrible she felt about the whole ordeal, and sharing some of those same feelings himself, Riku pulled her in for a reassuring hug.

"I want to do what I can as much as you do. But don't beat yourself up over your abilities. You're not the worlds' most powerful sorceress _yet_."

Riku felt a small smile from her but it didn't last long. There was still a problem. Everything they'd tried yielded either nothing or merely fleeting results. The idea pot was empty. They'd looked under every stone, they'd chased every rabbit, kicked every dog and checked every nook and cranny for new and productive solutions only to fall on their faces with their arms full of nothing. Not only was that worrying, but it left only one option.

"I want Aiden to get better, I really do," Rachel said, a new edge of worry in her voice. "But I've never done anything like this before. I've never lied or kept any secret from Master before."

"I'm not taking any pleasure in the thought either. You've apprenticed under him much longer than I have and I'm not comfortable with the secret."

Neither of them wanted to brush, bump, massage or rub their trust with their master, mentor and the worlds most powerful sorcerer.

"There is another possible reason I've been thinking about a lot lately."

"What is it?"

"Riku…have you-? Have you felt anything else since when we opened the Time Window? Anything other than just remembering two different events at the same time? Anything other than a headache if you think about it too long?"

Riku thought back hard to whether or not if he'd ever felt any unexplained 'off-ness' and whether or not it was enough to be considered suspicious.

"Nothing's coming to mind," He answered after a moments' hard thinking. "Why? Do you think this might be a side effect of the time spell?"

"It's the only avenue that I can think of that would explain why any spells or medicinal magic we've been trying aren't working. You can't expect to patch up a broken arm with an aspirin after all."

Riku ran the thought through his mind a few times. It did seem to have some feasibility attached to it. "The book never said anything more than how to perform the spell. But, wouldn't it offer more than just a few vague warnings about meddling with Time?"

"You'd think. Yeah, anyone altering events of the past can dramatically change, or destroy the future, but…"

Riku understood what she was trying to say. He was thinking the same thing. For such a complicated and potentially dangerous spell, no one bothered to make the potential casters aware of what exactly they were getting into? But if what Aiden was feeling was a result of the time spell, why was it just him? Was it because he was the one who had been pulled out of his own time? But why weren't either he or Rachel feeling anything at all? It was Rachel's magic that allowed the sliver in time to open. It was Riku who actually opened the hole in time. Comparatively, Riku's consequence was barely a bee sting if what was happening to Aiden was also the result of the spell. Was it a delayed rebound? Had they done something wrong? Was there a limit to how long someone could be outside their own time stream? Is that was his problem was? How exactly do you fix something if the problem is, well, _Time_?

"You don't think…sending him back?"

Rachel sounded very opposed to the idea but at the same time sounded like she knew, _**if**_ it was in fact the solution to the problem, they wouldn't have a choice.

But what then? The best time and place would be outside the manor gates, right back when everything started so the timeline would have the best chance to re-align. Only…wouldn't that have its own consequences too? Riku already had two conflicting timelines in his head. What would happen if his past self got interrupted twice?

That would be quite a bizarre scene. Riku's past self started a fight with the replica, then their fight was disturbed by the present Riku and the replica, Aiden, came back through the window with him. What then? Show the same scene only for the past-Riku Aiden would vanish then reappear moments later with a completely different appearance and attitude. Yeah, like that wasn't going to be weird. What would the younger Riku think? The replica ready to fight to the death then a moment later admitting he wasn't that bad and they didn't need to fight out their differences?

Bleh! Even if they completely were off the mark (and they hoped they were), once the gears started spinning they couldn't get them to stop. If the answer to Aiden's recovery was to put him back in the time he came from, what then? What would he do? Where would he go? He'd have to find a place for himself on his own. And…he wouldn't be able to see Rachel or Riku again. What kind of trouble would that cause? Hi! You don't know me because this is before the time when you cast a spell and brought me from my present to your present that was separated by several years. Yeah, you cast a spell with Riku that pulled me through time. Hmm? Oh, right. You haven't even met Riku yet. Don't worry, you will.

Their past selves would think he was crazy. And knowing them in their pasts could alter so much. If at the time of the fight at the manor, after Sora went to sleep and long before the Organization fell Aiden sought out Rachel or allied with Riku, in their future from that point there would be no need for Rachel and Riku to cast the Time Window spell at all. Thus Aiden never would have jumped to the future, befriended them both and then went back to his present, their past, to star-GYAH! Now if that wasn't a paradox you could spend the rest of your life trying to make sense of.

Best case scenario, he could meet up with them some time _after_ …wait a second. The Aiden they knew would be sent back to what was, _now_ , his past. He'd have to live out a life somewhere on his own. He would have to do his own thing while Riku learned about Sora's decision at Castle Oblivion, through the time Sora was asleep, all the events involving the fall of the Organization, Sora and Riku's first Mark of Mastery and the training and little adventures that followed. He'd have to live the time between when he fought Riku at the manor gates and when the Time Window was opened that pulled him through in the first place. He could find them again at that point because they already knew him and nothing could happen like meeting a stranger and them knowing more about you than they should. Heck, if they timed it right, he could walk through the front door seconds after the Time Window closed. Having aged on his own and gone through his own share of new experiences, maybe he would have found a new weapon and looked different enough he could be introduced to everyone else as a 'new' hero of light and his resemblance to Riku as a bizarre coincidence and coincidence only.

Headaches, headaches and more headaches. If the magic of all the cures Aiden had been taking over the past week didn't catch up to him and made him better, they would have little choice but to either, 1. bring in Master Yen Sid to figure out what was wrong or 2. send him back to his own time.

And each option wasn't without its share of problems or tangles that would need to be sorted out.


	47. The Last Journal

_I know what's been going on._

 _I know what's been happening to me._

 _I…I don't know what to do. No, I think I know what needs to be done. Part of me is terrified. The other…I guess 'calm' is the word? It's better than 'resigned' because I know that's not right._

 _At peace. I think that's the way to say it. I don't know why. I should be scared, well, I am. But not as much as I thought I'd be. The longer I sit here and think, the less scared I feel as I'm alone with my thoughts._

 _I think…I think being here, in this place, in this time made it easier. Especially with Rachel. Even with Riku. I've wondered about what's been happening to me for a while. I tried brushing it off or ignoring it but that obviously does nothing. But the other day, I finally realized…well not_ realized _but accepted I guess, for absolute certain what was happening to me._

 _Even when my suspicions were getting harder to ignore, I could only admit that I was feeling tired and lousy and offer flimsy alternatives to why I felt this way. I don't want to worry them or make them sad. But that is part of the struggle. If I tell them, they'll want to help._

 _They've done so much for me already. They even traveled all over the worlds looking for ways to heal me because they wanted to help. For that I am grateful. But for this…they'll try when there's nothing they can do. And that will make them sad. I don't want that to happen. That will happen anyway but I don't want it to be because they think they tried and failed. But if I don't tell them they might question what they might have done that I didn't trust them. It's not a matter of trust. They've been better to me than I could ever in my wildest dreams could have imagined._

 _Rachel especially has been awesome. I'm glad I've had someone to take care of me the way she has. I never really appreciated how much of a big sister she's been to me. I tried telling her that but I don't know how well it came out._

 _I have to do this on my own. Part of me doesn't want to do this alone. But…I guess in a way, there might be no one else in this room, but I'm not really alone. Not anymore. Not like the way I was. The way I was is long gone. The way I was could never have known happiness the way I know it now._

 _I'm tired. I'm so, so tired. In my heart I can feel that it will happen soon._

 _But I still have one last thing I need to say._

* * *

Aiden finally put down the magic quill on his writing desk. He could barely keep his eyes open. He could barely keep his head up. It was so tempting just to cross his arms across the desk and sleep. But although the writing was done, the task was not.

Very carefully Aiden tore out the last pages he'd written on from the journal and folded them into a note. He had to try several times with his quill to write one last scribble. It was getting harder to apply enough pressure for the ink to come out of the pen. When the task was complete, Aiden got himself into his bed. He hadn't bothered even taking his shoes off. He wouldn't've had the energy to try anyway. With the blankets pulled up comfortably around him, Aiden lay on his back.

He was ready. If it happened that night, fine. Aiden was satisfied with his swan song and was at peace with what was going to happen. Whether that night, morning or if for some miracle even later, he was okay with it. Aiden closed his eyes and sighed. All was well. Rachel and Riku would be sad. But at least he had someone who would miss him. That was all the solace he needed. He could feel it happening. It was subtle and peaceful. He felt no alarm.

There was something else.

Something…something…something beautiful. It was everywhere. And it was wonderful.

He half-opened his eyes. Everything was becoming very blurry.

"Huh," Aiden said with a quiet smile. "So…that's what…it sounds like."


	48. The Truth

"I know this is likely our last option but…oh! I really, really don't want to do it!"

"You think I do? But like you said, this could be the last option we have."

"If the solution ends up being really simple I'll really be mad. An easy solution that we just put our necks out on the chopping block for nothing."

"Just remember that it's for Aiden."

"I know! I know! But I've never, I've never had Master really, I mean _really_ mad at me about _anything_ before!"

"Don't you think _I'm_ worried about how this might impact his trust in us?"

"King Mickey told me the story of how angry Master Yen Sid was when he misused his magic and messed up big time during his time as an apprentice. And that was from bringing brooms to life and flooding the Tower! We pulled someone through a hole in _Time_! I'll never get to the next level of sorcery until I'm fifty once we tell him!"

"Why are you laying on the guilt!"

"I'm sorry!"

Problems and headaches, problems and headaches. They had come up with so many theories but had no idea what, if any, were correct. After all Aiden had tried, and all they had done to help, going to Master Yen Sid for help was the only option they had.

Even if Master Yen Sid could only temporarily fix him due to his condition being an effect of the time spell, they couldn't just send Aiden back to his own time in his current condition. He'd have to be put as right as possible before being expected to get by on his own. Of course the more they thought about it, one solution could have been right in their hands and they blew it. _If_ Aiden's condition was in fact because he _was_ out of his timeline, he could've eaten the golden apple from Mount Olympus then be send immediately back to his own time while he still felt healthy. Then again, maybe it wasn't the best thing to do. If the problem wasn't time-related, sending him back wouldn't do anything and he'd still be sick _and_ on his own.

If this wasn't a side effect of the time spell, great, Aiden wouldn't have to be sent back. But if it was…oh joy. Not only was there a chance they might not see each other again, or at least for a long time, but what would Master Yen Sid think about opening a gate through time twice?

TOO MANY 'WHAT IF'S'!

First thing was first. They'd have to talk to Aiden first. This did involve him directly so he had every right to have a say. Only, Rachel and Riku were having a tough time finding him. Rachel first knocked at his bedroom door to see if he was still resting. But the room was empty. Okay. Maybe brunch? Nope. Only Tatania sitting in a sunbeam in the kitchen. Could he have felt well enough to head to his usual potion room? That would be good news. Maybe all those cures just needed time to start building him back up?

But the potion room was empty. In fact, every 'usual place' was empty. Where would he have gone? He wasn't in the bathing hall, courtyard or training hall. Had he been in one place while they were searching another, then moved to a searched place after they left? Maybe. So they checked again. But still nothing.

Rachel and Riku met back up at Aiden's room. He still wasn't there.

"I don't like this." Riku said. He was starting to get an unsettling itch down his shoulders and back. "There's nowhere for him to go outside this castle. And it doesn't make any sense that he would wander off to a place we couldn't find him…unless a feverish delirium made him just start walking and now even he doesn't know where he is."

"You don't think…did he go to the Tower before us?"

There wasn't anything stopping Aiden from using the gateway that connected the Mysterious Tower to the training castle of sorcery; he just knew what was at stake if he did. But he wasn't so foolish not to pick up on what Rachel and Riku were trying to work out to help him as well as sort out for himself what the remaining options were. Was he confronting Master Yen Sid this very moment? Maybe hoping by doing so himself might take some of the brunt of the sorcerers' displeasure on behalf of his friends?

"I hope not,"

"I'll try what I should've done in the first place." Rachel held out both hands. A little dot of light formed between her palms. "Find Aiden," She told it. The light of the locator spell swelled a little. Then, after a moment turned into a very short V shape that pointed to Aiden's bedroom door. "That's odd,"

"How could he have been in his room the whole time?"

"That too, but,"

"But?"

"Usually when a locator spell is activated, the light gets longer and brighter the closer you are to what you're looking for. If Aiden is just inside, why did it stay so small and not light up?"

Panic suddenly stabbed them both. They didn't know why but something wasn't right. Together they entered the room. But there was no one in it. That made no sense. How could a locator spell go that ka-flooy?

Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Aiden didn't have a lot by way of personal possessions so the room was always kept neat and clean. The curtains were drawn. Nothing odd about that. He'd been sleeping a lot and it's sometimes hard to take a midday nap with the sun shining. The bedclothes were a little ruffled but otherwise the bed was still made. It was like the kind of ruffle when you just lay down on the bedsheets. No, this was a little mussier that than. So how would someone have to sleep or lay to get the blanket and pillow to look like that? Odd thing to make note of, perhaps, but as they had no other clues they had to go with what they could.

"Does anything look out of place on the desk to you?" Rachel asked Riku.

"How should I know? I don't know how he usually keeps his stuff. Wait,"

The writing desk beside the bed was kept very organized. Most of its contents consisted of a few books, a couple of trinkets and nick knacks Rachel had given to him or let him have from around the castle and writing utensils for the journal Rachel had also given him. The hard cover journal was neatly closed in the center of the desk. But what was on top of it was what caught Riku's attention. It looked to be a folded note. Judging by its thickness it was maybe two pages. And it had his and Rachel's name written on it. Rachel stood by his side, curious and concerned about the discovery.

Riku opened the note.

And the world stopped.


	49. Goodbye Letter

_Hey guys._

 _There is no easy way to say this so I'm just going to tell it like it is._ _If you're reading this then I..._ _Nope. Not going to say it like that. This is hard enough as it is to say all that I want without writing a novel._

 _I guess I should let you know I suspected it was coming for a while. At first I didn't want to admit it, or I tried to convince myself it wasn't what I thought it was, and then I didn't want to worry you about the inevitable. I'll get to that in a minute._

 _Now don't think I was scared, ashamed or that I didn't trust you for not telling you this to your faces. I just found out what Rachel had been saying all along with her journals. You can say a lot more with a pencil and paper so much easier than speaking out loud._

 _I'll try to describe it with an analogy that would make Rachel proud. My whole existence has been a music box. It was first wound when I came to being in Castle Oblivion. The song played; the good notes and the bad. But eventually the gears stop turning and the song comes to an end. The time a music box has to play is never very long. That's what's been happening to me. That's all. And I could just tell there would be no way to wind it back up._

 _This shouldn't have come as a big surprise now that I think about it. I think that's part of what made accepting it a little easier. Vexen made me as a way to torment and lead Sora into the Organizations' web. Whatever I am, he didn't design me to last. Part of me thinks Vexen might have deliberately made me that way. I was just a means to an end. If they had succeeded, I would have been dispensable anyway. Even if he didn't, he wouldn't have cared. I don't even know what I am or how I was made to be. I barely have any memory of my first moments to have any idea how or what Vexen did to create me or give me life. And with all that was going on it wasn't high on my list of things to ask._

 _But I've stopped worrying and wondering about that. That hasn't been important to me in a long time. I didn't need to be born and grow up like everyone else to be real and have a real heart that belongs to me and me alone. Since coming here I stopped questioning what about me was real. It is all real. All that pain, confusion and desperation, that too was real but it is behind me. And I have you guys to thank for it._

 _The memories I've made here at the castle have been great. The opportunities I've had here are more than I ever could have hoped for. And please, don't be upset for all the things we planned and now I'll never be able to do. I'm glad for the worlds I did get to see. I guess I kinda regret I won't be able to see what the little guy will look like all grown up. And I'm sorry that I let you guys try so hard to help me when I knew, deep down, I was beyond help._

 _Back where I was, I had no chance of anything so wonderful ever happening to me. Yes, opportunities will be lost, but at least I had the possibility. I'm grateful for that. I'm grateful that you both put so much time and effort into things on my account. I had the chance to learn about myself in ways that would never have happened. And best of all, I never would have had the honor of having my own name._

 _There are a few things I'd like you to do for me._

 _Please take my journal and few possessions I've gathered and keep them somewhere safe. Even if it's put in box on a shelf somewhere, make sure to mark it as mine. My footprints on the world may be few, but I want the tangible reminders that I was here, that I existed, that I lived, to be kept safe. Even if no one comes to this castle again for a hundred years, I'd be happy if they found a box of a few treasures that once belonged to someone called Aiden who lived there for a while. I want them to wonder who I was or what I was like and what the trinkets I called my own meant to me._

 _If you want to read my journals, that's ok. I don't mind. I amazed myself just how different the first is from the last. You don't need to feel invasive or anything if you want to read it._

 _And there's one more thing I'm sure you'll do but I want it to be said anyway;_

 _Please don't forget me._

 _So few people know I was ever here. Even fewer actually cared. What scares me the most is that everything about me will fade away like I never existed. Could…could you do something for me? Sorry if this sounds cheesy or conceited but…could you guys maybe do something in remembrance of me? I don't care if it's just lighting a candle. I hope it's not too much or too strange to ask._

 _It's getting hard to write now. So I'll skip the flowery speeches._

 _Being alone for this is my choice. This is something I wanted to do for me, not because I didn't want either of you here. I'm a little scared. But I'm mostly at peace. The realization at first was alarming but I guess in my heart I knew this scenario made sense. I came to grips with it without really being aware of it. No one wants their song to end. I guess it would have been cool to have it last a little longer but there's nothing we can do about it now._

 _And I won't end this without saying thanks to both of you._

 _I can't say all that I want to at this point. And on that note I'm sorry I let my stubborn pride get in the way of letting me say it as often as I should have._

 _I never fully appreciated what you risked in order to give me my second chance. I never would have had any kind of future, let alone such a fun one if it hadn't been for you two. I don't really think there's a way to say how grateful I am to do it justice other than to just keep saying it._

 _Goodbye, Rachel. Stay unconditionally kind and understanding. I know there are many more hearts out there that will be better off if they know you._

 _So long, Real Thing, hope you don't miss me!_

 _~Aiden_


	50. The World Stopped

The world stopped.

That wasn't real. It was just fiction. It had to be. That hadn't just happened. It couldn't be.

Riku's mouth had gone bone dry but he hardly noticed. After a stunned moment it registered to him just how tightly his stomach had tied itself in a knot and, although subtlety, he was shaking from head to toe. It couldn't be real. He couldn't accept it to be real. He wanted to be angry at Aiden for pulling such a cruel prank. That could be forgiven and Aiden would still be here. But he knew Aiden wouldn't do something like that. To him, maybe, but certainly not to Rachel.

Riku was becoming aware his fingers had gone numb and it felt awkward to breathe. This wasn't real. It couldn't mean what it sounded like. It couldn't be. It just _couldn't_!

Suddenly there was a heavy weight on Riku's shoulder. Rachel had stumbled into him, clawing at his shoulder in an attempt to keep standing. That wasn't a good idea. Riku wasn't even sure what was keeping himself standing, there was no way he could support her too if it came to that. Rachel made a sound, but passed the low buzzing in his own ears it was impossible to tell if it was supposed to be a word or just noise that just happened to escape as she breathed.

No, this wasn't happening. This wasn't real. It _had_ to be a dream. That would make sense, wouldn't it? It was just a stress dream in fear of what Master's reaction would be when they asked for his help. Riku wasn't even out of his own bed yet. He'd wake up any second and blame the horrid scenario on nerves before going to the castle and finding Aiden still there.

But Reality could not rewrite itself. Only the painful truth remained. Aiden was gone.

Riku was slowly coming out of his state of frozen shock. Part of him was trying to remain that way. In that state you don't feel anything. Right now, that was more than fine. Coming of it would only force him to taste the cold truth. He was becoming more and more aware of Rachel's shaky hand on his shoulder. The spot was beginning to feel a bit damp as her palms got clammy. Riku could also feel minute beads of sweat start forming at his hairline. Once again Rachel made a sound. It sounded like it could have been a word but he couldn't really listen.

 _No, no…this can't mean what it sounds like. He can't be…he_ can't _! Not after all we'd done, all we planned to do, how far he had come…_

Then, somehow, through the dumfounded shock, something caught their attention.

On the desk was a twelve inch tall, narrow bell jar. Inside was a clipping of a neat vine-y plant from one of the less deadly greenhouses. It was the first object Rachel had given to Aiden to call his own. But that wasn't what caught their attention. Something was hitting against the glass from the inside.

It was a little light. It wasn't like it was dull or super tiny so how they had not noticed it before was a mystery as it kept hitting into the glass like a trapped bug against a window. The light was about the size of a marble and kept shifting between a rich rose pink, a pale butter yellow, white and then back again. It also glittered a bit as it moved; like how the sun twinkles against undisturbed snow. It kept bumping against the glass, trying to get out. But what it was or how it came to be stuck inside the bell jar in the first place was a mystery.

"What is that?" Rachel asked quietly.

This new discovery cut through the shock of grief enough to give her something to focus on and act coherently about it. She put her hand against the glass. As if sensing her, the light bumped and slid along the glass just beneath her hand, like how a fish follows a finger against the tank. A second later she gasped and pulled away.

"What happened?" Rachel's gasp and sudden recoil was enough to zap Riku out of his stupor. "Are you hurt?"

"No, it's just…that thing, that light, it's…"

"It's what?"

"It's a Heart Song!"

"What? How is that possible?"

"I don't know but I could, I can _feel_ the music."

Rachel put both hands on top of the bell jar. The light inside bounced against the glass like before and danced happily around, sensing it was about to be set free. After she lifted one side the light just hovered for a second before jerking down then slipping through the opening.

Neither Rachel or Riku had any idea what to expect now that the light was free. It kind've swished through the air a bit at first. Then it slowly raised itself to about eye level with them as it moved in circles or danced in figure-eight motions.

Then the amazing happened.

As the orb moved, a misty haze formed around it. The light swelled to about the size of a golf ball. The colors pulsed and created halo rings that lingered a second or two before fading and getting replaced by another. The motion was almost like waves on the shore. As it moved, the laughing sounds of the piano could be heard. Then, in a female voice neither of them recognized, the song began,

" _Music boxes have within melodies they carry with them. Once they're opened music fills the air._

 _Ev'ry person you have known, has a song of their own. Once they open up you'll hear what's there._

 _It's not easy, you must listen with your heart for what lies hidden!_

 _There was a melody locked deep inside of me but now it's free. It found a place embraced by Harmony, sweet Harmony._

 _Love, more than anything, teaches the heart to sing. Only Love could break the shell. Now I know very well the love within myself."_

There was a short instrumental break followed by a powerful repeat of the chorus before the light calmed down as the music ended.

Rachel and Riku were left in yet another state of shock. That was Aiden's new Heart Song, it had to be. There wasn't anything else it could be. Rachel had sensed some time ago the song of his heart had been changing. In transition, she had called it. But they had been so focused on his failing health she hadn't been paying attention at all to exactly _when_ it had changed, let alone what it had changed to. Riku couldn't help but smile a little. From _Learn to be Lonely_ to _The Melody Within_ , Aiden was truly deserving of that beautiful Heart Song. It said a lot about how far his heart had come.

The dancing light calmed down. For a second, it just hovered, the light of the room around it shimmered across its rosy surface. Then, it started to float away.

"Wait!" Rachel cried when she realized what it was doing. "Stop! Don't go!"

But the rosy orb continued to rise higher and higher; fading and growing smaller as it went. It had succeeded in completing its purpose. There was no longer any need for it to stay.

"NO! Stop! Come back!"

The pleas rapidly devolved into desperate shrieks. Rachel tried leaping for it; to fly after it and somehow catch it. But she couldn't fly. There were no happy thoughts to lift her.

"Don't leave! Please come back! _Please don't go_! Come back! _Come back_!"

The remnants of the Heart Song were almost to the ceiling before the faded colors gently burst into a twinkling shower of tiny diamond lights and was gone; gone to rejoin its heart, gone to the place it needed to be.

And leaving its friends only able to stare at the empty space where it had once been.


	51. Loss

Riku leaned heavily against a windowsill in the training castle. The sky was splashed with the rich reds, oranges and purples of the twilight. But it was hard to appreciate how beautifully they blended together, or the bold little stars that came out to play as the sun turned away its face. It was all just there. It all existed but it didn't mean anything.

Riku's fist was clenched around two pieces of paper. He'd read through Aiden's last letter at least five times. Part of him was furious at Aiden for not coming to them directly, for saying what he wanted to say via note instead of to their faces. But at the same time, Riku knew he wasn't really angry. Anger is just an easier emotion to deal with and make sense of than grief.

Aiden was gone. And nothing could be done about it. Nothing ever could have been done about it.

Whatever Aiden was, however he'd been created, he hadn't been designed for longevity. In one time stream, Riku had defeated him and he faded away, at peace that his tortured existence was over. Now Riku understood that the fight at the manor gate only sped up the inevitable. Regardless of how that fight ended, Aiden didn't have long anyway. In a way, it made sense…not like that made it any easier. At Castle Oblivion, Vexen was more likely concerned _that_ his experiment was a success, not whether or not it would be a _lasting_ success. Aiden served his purpose for the Organization, beyond that, why would Vexen care what happened to him after their plan succeeded or make sure he would last?

Riku smoothed out the letter on the windowsill. He looked at it but wasn't really reading it. Aiden had suspected what had been happening to him and he never said? He had known his problem wasn't a flu-gone-wrong or a stray curse he'd accidentally come across and hadn't told them. Riku couldn't accept his decision to keep it a secret. Not at that moment anyway.

The 'what ifs' had started a while ago and hadn't stopped since. Could nothing really have ever been done to help him? Possibly. But Riku was hardly at a point where he would accept that as the only truth. If they had only known sooner. If they had only figured it out sooner. How could he and Rachel have missed it? Yeah, hindsight and whatever but still, everything about what had happened seemed an unforgiveable excuse. They should have pressed Aiden harder for what was getting him down. They should have figured it out. They should have known. They should have acted. They should have gone to Master Yen Sid right away instead of worrying about the consequences and hoping the problem would fix itself in the meantime. Maybe he could have put like a stasis spell around Aiden or something to hold off the progressive shut down of his body. He was The Sorcerer, there had to be something in that vast knowledge box that could have helped. But they didn't act on it quick enough.

Riku wasn't sure what to do or what to think now that there was nothing left. Aiden was gone and he couldn't help but feel partly responsible. The guilt left a feeling in his stomach like a sea lamprey had latched on with its many discs of teeth and raked and rasped at him with its toothed tongue, goring and shredding deeper as it went. And when you feel, even a little like you actually deserve it, it's hard to make that feeling go away.

Could have. Couldn't. Should have. Hadn't.

Round and around they went on a fast spinning carousel of guilt and grief. Time heals. Riku knew that well. But the process wasn't easy or enjoyable, no matter how much you learned or became a stronger person for it.

The next part would be the hardest; dealing with the loss. Riku knew that no matter how hard he tried to feign happy face, someone was going to sense the ache in his heart. And he couldn't just say that nothing was bothering him. There was no way he could get himself to believe that lie. If he couldn't, certainly no one else would. And it was physically painful to think about what this was doing to Rachel too. Riku couldn't turn his mind off to sort out his own feelings and take care of his emotional upheaval for himself first without it rounding back to how Rachel was feeling. She and Aiden got on so well. How many times would Riku come back to the castle and find her crying because she'd absentmindedly asked Aiden to hand her something and only silence answered?

And he couldn't tell anyone either. He couldn't tell his closest friends what had happened. There would still be inevitable lecture if Master Yen Sid knew what they'd done. Sora couldn't remember anything from Castle Oblivion. Yes, he would stand by a hurting friend, but if told all the details, how good would he be at hiding that he was keeping a very big secret?

Rachel and Riku agreed to act as if nothing happened for as long as they could manage. If suspected, they'd say they'd had their first big fight as a couple and it was uncomfortable going through it and they didn't want to talk about it to anyone else. Neither of them liked washing down a lie with a fib but it seemed the least likely scenario that anyone would pry into if they made it clear they wanted to work it out themselves. If they were apart, no one would question the need for distance until the smoke cleared. If Riku went to the training castle, it would appear he was trying to set things right. But that wasn't without its problems either. If they were forced to go with the 'we had a fight' story, distance would make sense. But that would leave Rachel in the castle alone during a time when you really needed a shoulder nearby in case you needed to cry on it. It made Riku sick inside to think he might have to do that to her if it came to that. Speaking of…

Riku looked over his shoulder. Rachel was curled up tight around Tatania. Jewel and Fantasia were also near. Fantasia stood behind the couch, occasionally nudging the side of Rachel's head gently when she thought her mistress needed it. Jewel floated not far away making sympathetic squeaks. Her plume was as limp as wet paper and her flippers had been droopy for hours. Little Eli anxiously paced across the couch and over Rachel's feet. He could sense something was wrong but couldn't understand what. He tugged at her clothes, hoping she would snuggle him and smile.

Riku hated to see her like that. She just sat quietly, staring down at nothing. But Riku wasn't fooled. That shimmer in her eye wasn't just the gleam of a bright heart and great personality. Riku took a moment to compose himself then sat by her side on the couch. At first Rachel did nothing; until he raised his arm a little to put it around her shoulder then she dropped Tatania on the couch and curled up into him. He could feel how much she needed him for comfort. And, at that moment it really sunk in how much he needed her too.

For quite some time they sat in silence. Periodically the sniffles and the waterworks got the better of them. Tatania curled up as close to Rachel as she could without getting sat on. For a creature with a self-serving streak, the tower cat knew this was a time to put her queenness second. Elias didn't understand the gloom. He didn't like it. Despite being young, animal instincts and his connection to Rachel let him know something was wrong. But he couldn't understand what had happened, what was happening or what it all meant. He wanted his girl to stop being sad. He wanted the boy to stop being sad. Where was that other person who was so fun to nibble on? Maybe he could make them stop being sad.

Riku could feel Rachel trembling slightly at his side.

"I think we should read his journals together." Riku said eventually.

"I don't know if I can," She answered quietly.

"I'm not saying it will be easy. Think…think of it this way, think of it like your magic book. Aiden will always be the main character of his own story. Characters never really die in their stories. Even if you know how the story ends, all you have to do is read it again and they'll be just as alive as the first time you read it."

Rachel chuckled quietly for a moment. But it didn't last long.

"That sounds like something I might say," She eventually said.

"Darn it. You're rubbing off more than I realized."

That made her smile again, even if for just a second and that was good enough. Silence passed over them again. What was there to say? They were both sad. They had just lost a secret friend. They both wrestled with the guilt of what they should have been doing. Then,

"I guess…I guess I am happy that I was able to hear his new Heart Song." Rachel said quietly. "I think…I don't know…I don't think…" Her voice quivered. She had to take a second before continuing. "If I never knew how his heart had changed, I don't think I could live that down."

Somehow Aiden was able to make his Heart Song stay behind long enough for them to hear it; long enough for them to know just how much he had changed and was at peace with his being. Riku agreed completely. They'd heard the song about submitting and accepting the emptiness. A song that spoke of secretly knowing that the heart would always be alone in darkness. But then it became so much brighter, so much better. Learn to be Lonely to The Melody Within. An empty lonely heart to a heart that found a way to break through the cold shell and know love. It was a great comfort to have known how the song changed. They tried not to think about how they'd feel if they were left forever wondering whatever happened to Aiden's song and if it was different, or better than the one they knew. Aiden did give them that last gift. Hopefully he knew just how special it was.

Riku looked down, once again at the last page of the note.

 _So long, Real Thing! Hope you don't miss me!_

His last chance to take a crack at Riku and that's what he decided to go with. That was what Aiden said the first time they parted. Then, it was a cocky taunt. Riku had won their first fight but Aiden still managed to strike him back. Riku hadn't been so blind to not have noticed when they first brought Aiden to the castle that he avoided calling him by name if he could. Now, it was more a term of endearment. It was…a reminder.

In fact, Riku wondered if there was something symbolic about his farewell being last. The first and last parting had been sealed with the same words. The beginning was so different from the ending. In fact, Riku hadn't thought much about his first meeting in Castle Oblivion in a long time. But that encounter came back like it had happened moments before. But that was fine. Two clear memories came to mind. One of, then, the Replica and now Aiden. The taunts and declarations of how Riku was a coward for distancing himself from the Darkness. Then thoughts of being called 'Goose' as a result of something Rachel said or promises of violence at being teased.

Riku smiled. He couldn't help it. His heart was still sore at the loss and would be for a while but, looking back, there was so much to feel good about. Riku remembered just how hard he laughed when Aiden's spell went awry and his voice sounded like a clown horn. Aiden laughed just as hard when Rachel had given Riku pink highlights by accident. He remembered his amusement when he found Aiden stuck and suspended by magic and assistance only made it worse. The situation would've been funny enough on its own, but it was largely how Aiden's pride and humiliation manifested through the whole encounter that made it really fun to watch. Then there was the whole fiasco with Aiden as a hamster. So cute and fluffy, and he _bit_ him.

The plans the trio had were sure to haunt Rachel and Riku for a while. Rachel had a whole list of places she'd hoped to sneak him into so Aiden could experience the wonders and beauty of other worlds. Riku hadn't had a chance to suggest his idea about sending Aiden to Pixie Hollow. But, all things considered, those plans were not necessary to making Aiden's life fun and complete. Back then he had nothing, no hopes, dreams, prospects or a future. They say that something is better than nothing. So true was this. He'd heard fantastic first-hand stories of exciting adventures and incredible places and people. He'd wandered the streets of Arendelle no differently than if he really did belong there.

Those were the thoughts that would get them both through this. Even though it would be hard, Riku knew keeping those memories close, talking about and cherishing them would push the guilt and I-should-haves away. Blaming themselves wouldn't do anything for anyone. Aiden already gave his blessing that freed them from that guilt. He suspected what was happening to him, accepted it and made the decision to keep it to himself. Even then, there was a brighter side.

Aiden died in a castle of magic and comfort. Not a castle of secrets and twisted plots. He died in a room and a bed that had been luxurious and all his own. Not on the ground outside a ruin. He died knowing laughter and kindness. Not lost and confused, surrounded by lies and manipulative souls. And most importantly, Aiden died knowing he had people who cared about him and would miss him when he was gone; not, knowing in the back of his mind that he had no friends and no one would care whether or not he was alive and well in the world.

Two friends were a lot better than no friends. Sometimes people don't even get that. Two friends were plenty. Everything Riku remembered about his encounters with Aiden at Castle Oblivion were completely backwards now. No longer had he been alone, scared, desperate for a sense of identity, purpose or belonging. He had no longer been friendless and empty, nervous about if his heart was real enough to go somewhere special.

The story did not have the happy ending they had hoped for. But, the purpose had been served. They had succeeded in doing exactly what they had set out to do. Their hearts would heal and Aiden's was at peace. A life of emptiness had faded into a memory of no importance. A much better life replaced it. That was good. Riku felt that he had done a good thing and was so grateful for Rachel's help in making sure that it all happened. And they had made a life so much better for it. They had done their best. They had been great and compassionate friends.

There was certainly a lot to think about. The good gave him solace. Riku held Rachel close to him, closed his eyes and smiled. A tragic story had been re-written with a much happier ending…because there is no one who doesn't deserve to get a second chance.

* * *

End of Act V of Bound By Light: Second Chances

The Bound By Light saga will continue in

Act VI

Bound By Light: The Final Battle


	52. Ending Appendix

Still not claiming any ownership to Kingdom Hearts, its story or characters.

The song line Rachel sings to Aiden in Ch 11 is from the tail end of "Down Once More/Track Down this Murderer" from Andres Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of The Opera. Same goes with Aiden's first Heart Song, "Learn to be Lonely".

Riku's new heart song, "My Past is Not Today" I guess is from one of my MLP: Friendship is Magic movies. I'm _not_ associating Riku with My Little Pony but I was YouTubing and found that song by accident. Glad I did. That lyric hit the nail on the head.

I had a lot of fun with coming up with things for the greenhouse. How many of you caught the pun about the tulips (two lips) trying to kiss? The acid plant they didn't go anywhere near is actually based on something that really does exist. I don't know what it's called but I guess it's a cousin of the aloe plant. I heard about a guy who desperately needed water or something to sooth his chapped lips. Thinking it was an aloe plant he broke a piece off and smeared it across his lips. Guess when he was found his face looked like it had been liquefied. True stuff is sometimes worse than the imagined.

Catch the Jumanji reference with the purple flower that shoots darts?

The song played when Rachel listens to what Riku's heart is singing when they are enjoying their cuddle time is "I can't fight this feeling" by REO Speedwagon. And Rachel's counter song is "Eternity", the ending bonus feature song to the Warner Brothers film, The Swan Princess.

Remember when Aiden's mishap spell changed his voice to a clown horn for a while? I actually can imitate the squeak of a clown/bike horn with my voice. Been able to since the third grade even though I have no idea how I discovered I could do it.

I had a moment of pause when it came to actually posting "Deep Discussions". But I thought it was relevant to put in some of my thoughts to remind us that the world of Kingdom Hearts isn't all teamwork and friendship. Yes, there's fun under the sea and magic carpet rides, but KH has its share of tragedies. In "Chain of Memories", Zexion taunts Riku claiming many hearts (human lives) were lost forever because his hearts' longing to leave the Islands somehow drew the Heartless in. Then there was the time in Birth By Sleep when Terra struck down Master Eraqus. Terra is immediately afterward horrified by his own actions but did essentially kill Eraqus. I think we can forget the dark side of KH. Remember how Axel killed Vexen? And Sora saw the whole thing. So I guess some of the less sunshine and rainbows part of the chapter brings together the "Once Upon a Time" warning that "all magic comes with a price" and that price can't always be paid with hugs and good intentions. Same can be said with how this act ended. It really broke my heart to hear you guys getting to like and worry about Aiden when I knew from the beginning how I was going to end this act. (yes, I plan that far ahead)

No, Rachel's familiar was not inspired by Owlcat. I was going for different and adorable and that's what I arrived at. And fluffy. Very, very fluffy.

I didn't make much up myself in regard to the blue pixie dust and the rising of the blue moon in pixie hollow. If you don't know by now, TinkerBell has her own movie series where the above mention is explained. (interesting also is that Terrance, a Dust Keeper fairy is voiced by Jesse McCartney, AKA the voice actor for Ventus and Roxas).

As for the dream eater teams for Sora and Riku, those were partly based on the Spirit teams I used in my own copy of Dream Drop Distance. The MeowWow and Komory Bat were the first spirits they created, the Yoggy Ram for Sora and Cyber Yog for Riku were the favorites I used for most of the game. DinoWriter's assumption was actually spot on.

The song Rachel sings to Aiden near the end, "Mother Earth and Father Time" is from the 1973 movie rendition of E.B. White's, Charlotte's Web.

In "The Last Journal", the way I ended the chapter was reminisce of the film, Tombstone. Doc Holliday is lying on his deathbed when he looks up and over at something just beyond his feet. He chuckles and weakly says "oh, this is funny," referring to a conversation he and his friends had before then that before you die you're supposed to see a bright light leading you into heaven, and, up until that point, he didn't really believe it. Of course, in this case it was Aiden hearing the new words of his heart song.

Aiden's Heart Song changes into "The Melody Within" from Feature Films for Family's Rigoletto.

Sorry if I broke any hearts with this one.

Hope to see you soon in Act VI of Bound By Light!

And to hopefully make you feel better about how this act ended, I'll drop this little spoiler for you, there will be an Act VII.


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